DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Alternative Vote

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the cost to the public purse was of the referendum on the alternative vote.

Greg Clark: The cost of the referendum on the alternative vote is set out in the Electoral Commission's December 2012 report 'Costs of the May 2011 referendum on the UK Parliamentary voting system'.
	http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0009/153000/Costs-of-UK-May-2011-UKPVS-referendum.pdf

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

G4S and Serco

Grahame Morris: To ask the Attorney-General when he expects the Serious Fraud Office to complete its investigation into existing contracts held by G4S and Serco in England and Wales.

Dominic Grieve: The Director of the Serious Fraud Office has confirmed that he has formally accepted this matter for investigation. The SFO will complete the investigation as expeditiously as possible.

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

EU Law: Parliamentary Scrutiny

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Leader of the House if he will bring forward reforms to the House's powers to scrutinise European legislation and the implementation of European Commission budget spending decisions; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Lansley: The Government considers the scrutiny of EU legislation and policy by Parliament to be vital to our democracy and values. The Government looks forward to working with Parliament on improvements to the UK's procedures following the current inquiry being undertaken by the European Scrutiny Committee.
	We are keen to focus scrutiny to using effectively the power of Parliament to intervene in EU legislative processes by reasoned opinions and political opinions on the most important issues, and to make better use of Departmental Select Committees' expertise.

Ministerial Policy Advisers

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Leader of the House how many officials at what grades are employed to provide direct support to special advisers in his Office.

Andrew Lansley: None.

WALES

Energy

Jason McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much his Department spent on (a) gas and (b) electricity in (i) 2010-11 and (ii) 2011-12.

Stephen Crabb: The Wales Office incurred costs of £16,552 in 2010-11 and £16,621 in 2011-12 for electricity. The Department does not have a direct contract for gas supply.

Energy

Jason McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales who the provider was for (a) gas and (b) electricity for his Department in (i) 2010-11 and (ii) 2011-12.

Stephen Crabb: The Wales Office had electricity supplied to its London office by British Gas in the period specified. The Department did not have a direct contract for gas supply for its London Office, and did not have a direct contract with utility providers for its Cardiff office.

Energy

Jason McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he is taking to reduce the cost of gas and electricity provision for his Department.

Stephen Crabb: The Department has a number of energy efficiency measures in place including encouraging staff in its London office to switch off lights when rooms are not in use and to ensure that computers are switched off at the end of the working day. The Department's Cardiff office is a modern building with built in energy efficiency measures.
	The Department does not have a direct contract for gas supply in its London office. The office is heated by the Whitehall District Heating System and is available between October and May each year. The Department has the flexibility to turn the heating off if temperatures are high during this period.

European Commission

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales 
	(1)  how many visits Ministers from his Department made to either the European Commission or the European Parliament in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many visits the Permanent Secretary and the four next most senior civil servants in his Department made to the European Commission in (a) 2010-11, (b) 2011-12 and (c) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Crabb: The former Secretary of State for Wales, my right hon. Friend the Member for Chesham and Amersham (Mrs Gillan), visited Brussels on one occasion in March 2011, attending meetings at both the European Commission and the European Parliament. No other Ministers have visited either the European Commission or the European Parliament since 2010.
	No senior officials from the Wales Office have visited either the European Commission or the European Parliament during this time.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Banks

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what involvement the devolved Assembly in Northern Ireland will have with the new ministerial task force for banking.

Theresa Villiers: The Joint Ministerial Taskforce on Banking and Access to Finance held its first meeting on 8 October 2013. Its membership includes Arlene Foster MLA and Simon Hamilton MLA representing the Northern Ireland Executive.

Energy

Jason McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who the provider was for (a) gas and (b) electricity in her Department in (i) 2010-11 and (ii) 2011-12.

Theresa Villiers: During the periods requested, my Department operated from three locations: 11 Millbank, London; Stormont House, Belfast; and Hillsborough Castle. The information for each site is as follows:
	London—2010-11 and 2011-12
	During this period, my Department was based in 11 Millbank where office space was leased from a landlord who was billed direct for all utilities. For that reason, no information is held in relation to gas or electricity suppliers. (My Department relocated its London office to 1 Horse Guards Road in February 2013).
	Stormont, Belfast—2010-11 and 2011-12
	Electricity supplier: NIE Energy (re-branded as Power NI with effect from July 2011).
	Gas supplier —Phoenix.
	Hillsborough Castle—2010-11 and 2011-12
	Electricity supplier: NIE Energy (re-branded as Power NI with effect from July 2011).
	Gas supplier: There is no gas supply/provider.

Energy

Jason McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much her Department spent on (a) gas and (b) electricity in (i) 2010-11 and (ii) 2011-12.

Theresa Villiers: My Department spent the following amounts on gas and electricity during the periods requested:
	
		
			 2010-11 
			  £ 
			 Gas 11,125 
			 Electricity 266,991 
		
	
	
		
			 2011-12 
			  £ 
			 Gas 33,031 
			 Electricity 266,753

Energy

Jason McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps she is taking to reduce the cost of gas and electricity provision for her Department.

Theresa Villiers: My Department currently operates from three locations:
	1 Horse Guards Road, London;
	Stormont House, Belfast; and
	Hillsborough Castle.
	The relocation of the London Office in February 2013 was a key element of our drive for efficiency which enabled the Department to secure savings in the region of £1 million per annum. This move also enabled us to reduce our footprint from 3,098 square metres to 462 square metres by maximising opportunities for open plan working which has a knock on effect in terms of reducing heating and electricity costs.
	In our offices in Northern Ireland, there is a strong emphasis on encouraging staff to be energy aware and to maximise the sharing of IT equipment and to turn all appliances (computers, printers and lights) off when not in use. The ‘Turn it Off’ campaign is promoted throughout the Department which also includes the use of energy efficient appliances and light bulbs.

Ex Gratia Payments

Jeffrey M Donaldson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many claims have been made to her Department for an ex-gratia payment for those affected by the troubles in Northern Ireland; how much each claimant has received in compensation; how many such claims were paid as a result of a direction from the Royal Ulster Constabulary; and how many such claims were paid in respect of cases involving false imprisonment.

Theresa Villiers: The ex-gratia scheme closed in April 2006. Upon devolution responsibility for ongoing consideration of claims transferred from the Northern Ireland Office to the Department of Justice.
	Ex-gratia arrangements were set out in a statement to the House of Commons on 29 November 1985 by the then Home Secretary, and have been adopted by successive Secretaries of State for Northern Ireland since then. Under the ex-gratia scheme compensation may exceptionally be granted where a person has spent time in custody following a wrongful conviction or charge, where there has been serious default on the part of the police or some other public authority, or where facts emerge, either at trial or on appeal within time, that completely exonerate the accused.
	Records show that between 2007 and March 2010, the Northern Ireland Office paid a total of £336,153.14 in three ex-gratia cases. These payments were made in respect of claims lodged before closure of the scheme in 2006.

National Asset Management Agency

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent discussions she has had with the Finance Minister in Northern Ireland on the National Assets Management Agency.

Theresa Villiers: I have regular meetings with the Northern Ireland Minister for Finance and Personnel and NAMA has often been a part of our discussions. We last discussed NAMA when we met on 11 September.

Older Workers

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people aged over (a) 55 and (b) 60 years were recruited by her Department in 2010-11; and what proportion of such staff were new staff.

Theresa Villiers: My Department did not recruit any staff aged over 55 or 60 years during 2010-11.

Sexual Offences

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people in Northern Ireland were (a) prosecuted for and (b) convicted of a serious sexual assault in each year since 2010.

Theresa Villiers: Prosecutions for sexual assault are a devolved matter and therefore the responsibility of the Minister for Justice in the Northern Ireland Executive.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

European Commission

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what analysis his Department has made of the effectiveness of the European Commission's use of its powers under Article 258 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union against member states; and if he will make a statement.

David Lidington: The Government supports the European Commission in its efforts to ensure the timely and consistent transposition of EU law across all member states, which is crucial to the proper functioning of the Single Market. Although we expect the new powers under article 258 of the treaty on the Functioning of the European Union to be a stronger incentive to member states to transpose directives within the deadlines laid down by the Commission, we are not yet in a position to judge how effective these new powers have been.

Iraq

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on links between Hamid Jafar and Crescent Petroleum International and the former Iraqi Government led by Saddam Hussein; and if he will make a statement.

Hugh Robertson: We have received no such reports since May 2010.

Prisoners: Organs

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made on ending the forced extraction of human organs from prisoners of conscience.

Hugo Swire: I refer the right hon. Member to my previous answer to Mr Campbell dated 22 April 2013, Official Report, column 633W.

Sri Lanka

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of political and human rights in Sri Lanka.

Hugo Swire: Sri Lanka is listed as a human rights “Country of Concern” in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s Human Rights Report for 2012, a copy of which is available from the House Libraries and online at:
	www.hrdreport.fco.gov.uk
	We continue to have strong concerns about the lack of demonstrable progress on post conflict reconciliation, accountability and political settlement. We have consistently called for an independent, thorough and credible investigation into allegations of violations and abuses of international humanitarian and human rights law by both sides in the military conflict.
	The British Government is attending the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Sri Lanka in November and we will take a tough message to the Sri Lankan Government that they need to make concrete progress on human rights, reconciliation and political settlement.

UK Membership of EU

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consideration he has given to the need to prepare transitional arrangements following a vote to leave the European Union in a referendum; and if he will make a statement.

David Lidington: This Government has not made any preparations for the UK leaving the EU.

UK Trade and Investment

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when his Department plans that all documents on the UK Trade and Investment website will be made consistent with the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.

Michael Fallon: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) worked with FCO colleagues in developing the Government paper: ‘Good Business - Implementing the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights’. UKTI subsequently made its staff aware of the Government paper, which includes a responsibility to update information contained in the joint FCO/UKTI Overseas Business Risk (OBR) service on the UKTI website. If there is content that does not appear to be compliant, officials in UK Trade & Investment would be happy to review this with the content owners.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Belize

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what support she is giving to the government of Belize to help preserve the Chiquibul National rainforest reserve.

Lynne Featherstone: The UK Government does not provide bilateral development assistance to Belize and therefore has not provided direct financial assistance for the preservation of the Chiquibul National rainforest reserve.

Burma

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps her Department is taking to support civil society organisations that are (a) registered and (b) unregistered in Burma.

Alan Duncan: DFID supports a number of registered organisations in Burma. DFID has been helping civil society organisations in their lobbying of the Burmese Government and Parliament to amend the draft Associations Law. This law would change the process of registration for civil society organisations in Burma.

Developing Countries: Genetically Modified Organisms

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what funding her Department allocates to support the development of genetically modified organisms.

Justine Greening: We do not specifically allocate DFID funding to genetically modified organisms.

Forests: Climate Change

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent progress she has made on the development of the Forests and Climate Change Fund.

Lynne Featherstone: The business case for the Forests and Climate Change programme has been prepared and is being subject to internal assessment and review by DFID and other Government Departments before being presented to the Secretary of State.

Haiti

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps her Department is taking to tackle the spread of cholera in Haiti.

Alan Duncan: The UK has provided the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) with £1.25 million of funding for Disaster emergency preparedness and early response in Haiti. A component of this funding is being used to maintain adequate surveillance and alert systems to identify upsurges in cholera cases and to increase prevention efforts.

Overseas Aid

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which multinational bodies are suppliers of UK aid; and in which countries such aid is distributed.

Justine Greening: Details of DFID multilateral expenditure are published in Table 18 of the 'Statistics on International Development' 2012 which is available online at:
	http://www.gov.uk/government/publications/statistics-on-international-development

Overseas Aid

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what public accountability mechanisms are in place with respect to third-party suppliers of UK development aid.

Justine Greening: The Department holds suppliers to account for delivery through managing their performance against the contractual obligations stated in the awarded contract.
	For the first time ever we have insisted that our suppliers, including non-governmental organisations, sign up to a code of conduct, and 578 of our suppliers have already done so. This statement of priories and expectations sets out standards we expect our suppliers to meet on value for money, transparency and accountability.

Somalia

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps her Department is taking to tackle the spread of polio in south and central Somalia.

Justine Greening: DFID is working closely with the Federal Government of Somalia who have initiated an emergency response to the polio outbreak jointly with the World Health Organisation (WHO), United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), and Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) partners. The response aims to interrupt the transmission of polio in Somalia and curtail its spread to uninfected areas.
	In August, DFID made a contribution of £10 million to WHO for tackling polio in the East Africa region, with a focus on Somalia. This was followed by a contribution of £1.8 million in October from DFID Somalia to UNICEF Somalia in response to the joint polio appeal.

Syria

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps her Department is taking to ensure that emergency relief and humanitarian assistance reaches vulnerable internally displaced people in Syria in winter 2013-14.

Justine Greening: The UK Government is currently working with the United Nations and international non-governmental organisations on our winterisation response which will provide support including blankets, thermal clothing and insulated housing for tens of thousands of people in and outside of Syria for winter 2013-14. This includes rehabilitating collective shelters in which some of the most vulnerable displaced people live to provide better shelter for the cold months ahead.
	This is in addition to the £150 million already allocated to partners providing humanitarian assistance inside Syria, including support for internally displaced peoples.

Syria

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps her Department is taking to protect the Christian Church in Syria.

Alan Duncan: Life in Syria for Christians and other minorities is dire. We have serious concerns about rising sectarian tensions and we believe that President Assad's actions include a deliberate attempt to stir up such tensions in his efforts to hold on to power. We have made clear that those responsible for human rights violations and abuses should be held to account. We believe that the International Criminal Court will have a role to play in this. The UK is supporting the Syrian National Coalition who have made clear commitments to supporting a democratic Syria where all people will equal, regardless of their ethnic, religious and sectarian background.
	The UK supports humanitarian organisations that operate in an impartial manner and provide support on the basis of need. Thus, Christian groups and minorities are not treated separately but, if members of their communities are particularly vulnerable, they will receive humanitarian assistance as appropriate.

Visits Abroad

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what countries (a) she and (b) her ministerial team have visited since taking post.

Justine Greening: Details of all overseas visits undertaken by DFID Ministers are published under the transparency section of the DFID website at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/dfid-minister-of-state-gifts-hospitality-travel-and-meetings-with-external-organisations-january-to-march-2013

SCOTLAND

Energy

Jason McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much his Department spent on (a) gas and (b) electricity in (i) 2010-11 and (ii) 2011-12.

David Mundell: The costs incurred by the Scotland Office in respect of (a) gas and (b) electricity in (i) 2010-11 and (ii) 2011-12 are shown in the following table:
	
		
			 £ 
			 Financial year Gas Electricity Whitehall Heating System and Standby Distribution System 
			 2010-11 4,975 22,486 84,289 
			 2011-12 7,109 22,225 58,874

Energy

Jason McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland who the provider was for (a) gas and (b) electricity for his Department in (i) 2010-11 and (ii) 2011-12.

David Mundell: The Scotland Office providers for (a) gas and (b) electricity in (i) 2010-11 and (ii) 2011-12 are shown in the following table:
	
		
			  2010-11 2011-12 
			  Edinburgh London Edinburgh London 
			 Gas Corona (April to September) Total Gas and Power (October to March) Business Gas (British Gas) Total Gas and Power Business Gas (British Gas) 
			 Electricity Scottish Power British Gas Scottish Power British Gas 
		
	
	The Scotland Office uses framework and supply contracts negotiated by the Government Procurement Service, the Ministry of Justice and the Scottish Government to secure the best value for public money.

Energy

Jason McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to reduce the cost of gas and electricity provision for his Department.

David Mundell: The Scotland Office keeps all costs under rigorous review. The Office has taken a number of steps to reduce gas and electricity costs including (a) ensuring central heating is switched off whenever possible, (b) conducting campaigns to raise awareness in staff of the need to reduce energy costs, and (c) when routine repairs and maintenance are being undertaken using the opportunities to modify existing equipment or install more energy efficient ones.

Energy

Margaret Curran: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what the cost of (a) gas and (b) electricity used by his Department was in (i) 2010-11 and (ii) 2011-12.

Alistair Carmichael: The costs incurred by the Scotland Office in respect of (a) gas and (b) electricity in (i) 2010-11 and (ii) 2011-12 are shown in the following table:
	
		
			 £ 
			 Financial year Gas Electricity Whitehall Heating System and Standby Distribution System 
			 2010-11 4,975 22,486 84,289 
			 2011-12 7,109 22,225 58,874

Sovereignty

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to inform civil servants about the potential effect of Scottish independence on jobs.

David Mundell: The Secretary of State for Scotland, the right hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland (Mr Carmichael), and I are engaging with civil servants and their representatives. I recently met with representatives from the Public and Commercial Services Union to discuss the UK Government's ongoing commitment to employing civil servants in Scotland as part of a strong United Kingdom.
	In order to inform and support the debate on Scotland's future, the Government is undertaking a programme of analysis examining how Scotland contributes to and benefits from being part of the UK, and how the rest of the UK benefits from its partnership with Scotland.
	The programme has published seven papers to date. The papers have analysed key economic, legal and defence issues. Future papers on further economic and wider policy issues will be released this year and through 2014 in the lead up to the referendum.

TREASURY

China

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what discussions he had with the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs regarding (a) human rights in China and (b) the Government's Action Plan on Business and Human Rights before his recent visit to China;
	(2)  what discussions he had regarding (a) freedom of expression, (b) freedom of association, (c) protection of human rights, (d) the rule of law and (e) Tibet during his recent visit to China.

Nicky Morgan: The Chancellor speaks with his Cabinet colleagues on a range of issues on a regular basis, including the UK's relationships with other major economies. The Chancellor also speaks regularly with international counterparts, including with Chinese Ministers as part of the UK-China Economic and Financial Dialogue; it is not the Government's practice to comment on every detail of those discussions.
	The Government's policy is, nonetheless, clear. Ministers believe that UK foreign policy should be based on our values; the Government regularly engages with the Chinese and other governments on human rights issues, and will continue to do so. China is becoming increasingly internationally facing, and the promotion of universal values is good for China's long-term prosperity.

Excise Duties: Diesel Fuel

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his policy is on the use of red diesel by boats on inland waterways.

Nicky Morgan: Fuel for propelling private pleasure craft on inland waterways in the UK is subject to excise duty at the full rate while fuel for other purposes, such as heating, is subject to the rebated rate of duty. Many of these craft have a single fuel supply for propulsion and heating. For this reason, HMRC allows rebated oil such as red diesel to be used provided that an amount equal to the rebate is paid on the proportion of fuel to be used to propel the boat.
	Purchasers of red diesel for use in private pleasure craft must provide a declaration estimating the percentage of fuel to be used for propulsion to the supplying Registered Dealer in Controlled Oils who will collect any excise duty due on behalf of HMRC.

Job Creation

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of new jobs in (a) Barnsley, (b) South Yorkshire and (c) London were in the (i) retail, (ii) service and (iii) manufacturing sectors in (A) 2010, (B) 2011, (C) 2012 and (D) 2013.

Nick Hurd: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Cabinet Office.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Joe Grice, dated November 2013
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what proportion of new jobs in (a) Barnsley, (b) South Yorkshire and (c) London were in the (i) retail, (ii) service and (iii) manufacturing sectors in (A) 2010, (B) 2011, (C) 2012 and (D) 2013. (173249).
	Figures are not available for 'new jobs' in the labour market. But the following table shows the net change in jobs for the breakdowns requested for 2010, 2011 and 2012, the latest year for which these figures are available.
	
		
			 Net change in employee jobs(1) for Barnsley, South Yorkshire and London by retail, services and manufacturing industries for 2010 to 2012 
			  Barnsley South Yorkshire London 
			 Retail    
			 2010 100 -1,500 -11,900 
			 2011 -100 -900 8,700 
			 2012 -100 -1,700 7,700 
			     
			 Services    
			 2010 -700 -6,700 58,700 
			 2011 200 -8,600 118,400 
			 2012 -2,100 -2,000 105,100 
			     
			 Manufacturing    
			 2010 -500 -3,900 -2,900 
			 2011 300 2,300 -9,800 
			 2012 300 1,000 10,100 
			 (1) Jobs which are held by employees and not including the self-employed. Source: Business Register Employment Survey, ONS

Minimum Wage

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment he has made of the case for an increase in the national minimum wage.

David Gauke: In its capacity as the Government's economic and finance Ministry, HM Treasury maintains an ongoing interest in national minimum wage policy for which the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills is responsible.
	The Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, the right hon. Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), recently wrote to David Norgrove, Chair of the Low Pay Commission, asking for the commission to consider the conditions that would need to be in place in order to allow a faster increase in the minimum wage taking into account the implications on employment. This assessment is in addition to the remit issued by Government to the Low Pay Commission in June which requested that it makes recommendations on the minimum wage rates it believes should apply from October 2014.

Stamp Duty Land Tax

Matthew Offord: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect of the imposition of higher rates of stamp duty being levied on properties bought by non-EU (a) citizens and (b) companies.

David Gauke: Stamp duty land tax (SDLT) is payable by purchasers of UK land or property, whether or not the purchaser is resident in the UK. The rates apply equally to UK and foreign nationals or companies.
	An assessment has not been made of the impact of the higher rates of SDLT on transactions undertaken by non-EU purchasers.

Tax Evasion

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 12 September 2013, Official Report, column 827W, on tax evasion, from which countries it has not been possible to instigate proceedings against fugitives from HM Revenue and Customs' Most Wanted list because (a) of a lack of an extradition treaty and (b) the host country does not extradite for the tax offence.

David Gauke: holding answer 10 October 2013
	HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) launched their most wanted list in August 2012, during the current coalition Government. 20 photographs were issued to the British press together with a brief outline of each case. Following a re-launch in August 2013 the list was expanded to 30 individuals.
	Six individuals featured in the current HMRC Most Wanted campaign are believed to be in territories that do not have extradition treaties with the United Kingdom. Of these, four have a last known location in Pakistan and two in Northern Cyprus.
	In a further three cases, while the fugitives are located in countries where an extradition treaty is in place HMRC has been unable to extradite due to issues relating to the offences committed.
	One fugitive is in Italy but the date of the offence pre-dates the European arrest warrant (EAW) legislation. Legal discussions are taking place between the Italian authorities and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).
	Another is in Switzerland. An EAW has been submitted but the Swiss will not extradite their own nationals.
	A third is in Israel, where there are difficulties in relation to extradition for VAT offences.
	Although nine fugitives are in locations where currently they cannot be extradited HMRC continues to work closely with both UK and overseas authorities to secure the return of these individuals and to bring them before the UK courts.

Taxation: Charitable Donations

Frank Field: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 14 October 2013, Official Report, columns 625-26W, on taxation: charitable donations, if he will publish the top 1,000 sums donated as charitable gifts and subsequently claimed against tax in the last financial year.

Nicky Morgan: There are no plans to publish the information requested. HM Revenue and Customs holds information on the total amounts donated by individual donors in a year on which income tax relief is claimed each year but not on the amounts of individual donations.
	There would be a risk of disclosing taxpayer confidential information from publishing the sums on which the top 1,000 donors claim tax relief, even if taxpayer details were anonymised.

Taxation: Energy

David Simpson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his policy is on imposing a windfall tax on energy firms.

Nicky Morgan: The Government has no plans to impose a windfall tax on energy companies but keeps all taxes under review.

VAT: Imports

Pauline Latham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has accrued to the Exchequer as a result of lowering the low value consignment relief threshold in the Finance Act 2011.

David Gauke: The low value consignment relief threshold for imports from non-EU countries was reduced from £18 to £15 in November 2011.
	This information request can be obtained only at a disproportionate cost.

VAT: Sixth Form Colleges

John Woodcock: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received regarding the liability of sixth form colleges for VAT; and if he will make a statement.

David Gauke: The Government has received correspondence regarding the position of sixth form colleges in relation to VAT. The Government is carefully considering the arguments made in relation to this issue.

Working Hours

Jim Sheridan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the number of people (a) who have been moved from a full-time contract to a part-time contract and (b) who have had their number of working hours reduced in (i) Paisley and Renfrewshire North constituency, (ii) Renfrewshire, (iii) Scotland and (iv) the UK since 2010.

Nick Hurd: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Cabinet Office.
	The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Director, Chief Economic Advisor, dated November 2013
	On behalf of the Director General for the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment has been made of the number of people (a) who have been moved from a full-time contract to a part-time contract and (b) who have had their number of working hours reduced in (i) Paisley and Renfrewshire North constituency, (ii) Renfrewshire, (iii) Scotland and (iv) the UK since 2010. 173044
	The precise information requested is not available. However, as an alternative, Table 1 provides the number of people who were employed full-time and part-time in the requested areas, according to survey responses from the Annual Population Survey (APS) for the 12 month periods ending December 2010 and June 2013, the latest available period. Net change between these two periods is also provided.
	Table 2 provides the percentage of people in employment by the number of hours worked for the same periods as Table 1, along with the net change between the two periods.
	As with any sample survey, estimates from the APS are subject to a margin of uncertainty. A guide to the quality of the estimates is given in the table.
	National and local area estimates for many labour market statistics, including employment, unemployment and claimant count are available on the NOMIS website at:
	http://www.nomisweb.co.uk
	
		
			 Table 1; Number of people employed full-time and part-time and net change between 12 month periods ending December 2010 and June 2013 
			 Thousand 
			  12 months ending  
			  December 2010 June 2013(1) Net Change(2) between 12 month periods ending December2010 and June 2013 
			  Full-Time Part-Time Full-Time Part-Time Full-Time Part-Time 
			 Paisley and Renfrewshire North 30 11 **31 ***10 1 -2 
			 Renfrewshire 55 21 **58 **20 3 -1 
			 Scotland 1,776 635 *1,759 *626 -18 -10 
			 United Kingdom 20,773 7,213 *21,081 *7,312 307 98 
			 (1) Coefficients of Variation haw been calculated for the latest period as an indication of the quality of the estimates. See Guide to Quality following. (2) Net change is calculated on unrounded numbers. Guide to Quality: The Coefficient of Variation (CV) indicates the quality of an estimate, the smaller the CV value the higher the quality. The true value is likely to lie within +/- twice the CV—for example, for an estimate of 200 with a CV of 5% we would expect the population total to be within the range 180-220 Key: * 0 ≤ CV<5%—Statistical Robustness: Estimates are considered precise ** 5 ≤ CV <10%—Statistical Robustness: Estimates are considered reasonably precise *** 10 ≤ CV <20%—Statistical Robustness: Estimates are considered acceptable **** CV ≥ 20%—Statistical Robustness: Estimates are considered too unreliable for practical purposes CV = Coefficient of Variation Source: Annual Population Survey 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2: Percentage of people in employment by hours worked and net percentage points change between 12 month periods ending December 2010 and June 2013 
			 Percentage 
			  12 months ending  
			  December 2010 June 2013 Net percentage points change between 12 month periods ending December 2010 and June 2013 
			 Paisley and Renfrewshire North    
			 Under 10 hours 2.3 2.6 0.3 
			 Work 10-34 hours 27.6 27.1 -0.5 
			 Work 35-44 hours 47.6 48.5 1.0 
			 Work 45 hours or more 22.5 21.8 -0.7 
			     
			 Renfrewshire    
			 Under 10 hours 1.9 2.1 0.2 
			 Work 10-34 hours 29.1 28.9 -0.2 
			 Work 35-44 hours 49.2 47.0 -2.2 
			 Work 45 hours or more 19.8 22.1 2.3 
			     
			 Scotland    
			 Under 10 hours 3.0 3.4 0.4 
			 Work 10-34 hours 28.3 27.6 -0.7 
			 Work 35-44 hours 47.7 47,3 -0.4 
			 Work 45 hours or more 21.0 21.7 0.7 
			     
			 United Kingdom    
			 Under 10 hours 3.5 3.8 0.3 
			 Work 10-34 hours 27.2 27,3 0.1 
		
	
	
		
			 Work 35-44 hours 45.3 44.5 -0.6 
			 Work 45 hours or more 23.9 24.4 0.5 
			 Source: Annual Population Survey

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Animal Welfare: Circuses

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many wild animals, of which species, have been licensed under the Welfare of Wild Animals in Travelling Circuses Regulations of 2012 to date; and if he will make a statement.

George Eustice: A total of 28 wild animals are covered by licences, including: six reindeer, six snakes, four zebras, four tigers, three camels, two lions, one ankole, one fox and one raccoon.

Animal Welfare: Circuses

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions he has had with the Administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland relating to the introduction of the Wild Animals in Circuses Bill to Parliament.

George Eustice: The position remains as reported in the Government's response to the recent Environment Food and Rural Affairs Committee's report on Wild Animals in Circuses (paragraph 6) which can be found at:
	http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201314/cmselect/cmenvfru/746/74604.htm

European Fisheries Fund

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much of the European Fisheries Fund budget for 2012-13 remains (a) unallocated and (b) unspent.

George Eustice: The European Fisheries Fund (EFF) expenditure profile for the UK in 2012 and 2013 is as follows:
	
		
			  £ 
			 2012 20,013,090 
			 2013 20,270,372 
		
	
	However, the UK does not report EFF expenditure against the annual profile but as a cumulative total of the programme.
	As at 30 September 2013, for the 2007-15 UK EFF programme (includes two-year post-programme payment period from 2013-15), expenditure was as follows:
	
		
			  £ 
			 Total UK budget 117,829,063 
			 Committed funds 90,630,144 
			 Actual spend 56,075,409 
			 Balance remaining 27,198,919

Genetically Modified Organisms: Soya Beans

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what academic studies his Department used when making their comparative assessment of the cost-effectiveness of GM soya production and non-GM soya production in Brazil.

Dan Rogerson: There are a number of academic and other studies which provide information specifically on the economic impact of GM soya production in Brazil. Among the studies which DEFRA has identified are those available at the following links:
	http://ec.europa.eu/food/plant/gmo/reports_studies/docs/economic_performance_report_en.pdf
	http://www.rijksoverheid.nl/documenten-en-publicaties/rapporten/2011/05/12/sustainability-of-current-genetically-modified-crop-cultivation.html
	https://www.landesbioscience.com/journals/gmcrops/2013GMC0001R.pdf
	Last year the Brazilian Agriculture Minister advised the DEFRA Secretary of State that GM soya is 30% more cost-effective than conventional soya.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Affordable Housing

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps he is taking to increase affordable housing supply; and if he will make a statement.

Kris Hopkins: holding answer 22 October 2013
	More than 150,000 affordable homes have been delivered in England over the last three years.
	Our Affordable Homes Programme is on track to deliver 170,000 new affordable homes between 2011 and 2015, with £19.5 billion of public and private funding. Half way through, over 84,000 homes have already been delivered.
	A further £23 billion will help ensure another 165,000 new affordable homes are started between 2015 and 2018. This will be the fastest annual rate of building for at least 20 years.

Carlisle College

John Stevenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government for what reasons the decision to European Regional Development Fund funding to Carlisle College has been deferred; and when he expects that decision to be made.

Brandon Lewis: holding answer 25 October 2013
	The European Regional Development Fund in the North West is nearing 100% commitment level. The North West Local Monitoring Committee are meeting on the 28 November 2013 to discuss their priorities for committing the remainder of the programme including Carlisle college.

Electrical Safety

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many fires have been caused by moulded plastic fuse boards in each of the last five years.

Brandon Lewis: The categories used in the Fire and Rescue Incident Recording System do not specifically identify this type of cause of fire.

Fire Services

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of the proposal from the Fire Sector Federation that the Minister should appoint a Transformation Commission to implement the findings of the review of efficiencies and operations in fire and rescue authorities in England.

Brandon Lewis: I am always interested to hear the views of the Fire Sector Federation and the sector more generally. They make an interesting proposal; however I do not think such a Commission should be appointed by the Government. Rather any drive for transformation must be owned by fire and rescue authorities themselves, which is why in the spending round, the Government announced £30 million towards the upfront costs of transforming fire and rescue services, acting on the opportunities identified by the Knight Review. And a further £45 million capital fund for to encourage greater collaboration between fire and other emergency services.

Fire Services

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government when his Department will publish a response to the Efficiency and Operational review of the Fire Service undertaken by Sir Ken Knight.

Brandon Lewis: Ministers are currently considering the wide range of issues raised by Sir Ken Knight and the responses from many in the fire and rescue sector to the review. The Government will publish a response in due course.

Fire Services: Industrial Disputes

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what contingency plans his Department put in place to reduce the risk of loss of life or property during forthcoming fire service strikes; and if he will make a statement.

Brandon Lewis: The Government's Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser is confident that adequate plans are in place, in all fire and rescue authorities, who are responsible for their plans, to provide emergency cover during periods of industrial action by members of the Fire Brigades Union.

Flood Control

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of annual local authority spending on flood risk management in each year since 2008.

Brandon Lewis: The following table shows the total local authority expenditure on flood defence, land drainage and coast protection in England in each year from 2008-09.
	
		
			 Net current expenditure 
			 £000 
			  2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 
			 Defences against flooding 16,236 16,836 17,746 18,629 
			 Land drainage and related work 30,795 33,662 35,191 36,864 
			 Coast protection 14,626 14,017 14,188 13,289 
			 Total flood defence, land drainage and coast protection 61,657 64,515 67,125 68,782 
		
	
	The figures are from Revenue Outturn data submitted to DCLG at the end of each financial year.

Food Banks

Gavin Shuker: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what proportion of local authorities make referrals to food banks.

Brandon Lewis: This information is not held centrally.

Fracking

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what consultations his Department has held or plans to hold to ensure that best practice is followed on fracking for shale gas production.

Nicholas Boles: We published Planning Practice Guidance for onshore oil and gas on 19 July 2013 and will keep this under regular review. This guidance provides clarity on the role of the planning system in England for the three phases of onshore hydrocarbon extraction: exploration, testing (appraisal) and production.

High Rise Flats: Fire Prevention

Harriet Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to the recommendation of Judge Kirkham following the conclusion of the Lakanal House fire inquest, whether his Department has reviewed Approved Document B to ensure that it provides clear guidance in relation to Regulation B4 of the Building Regulations and is expressed in words and adopts a format which is expressed in a language accessible to laypersons.

Brandon Lewis: The Department's intention is that a new edition Approved Document B would be published in 2016-17 in an easier to read style. However, the design of fire protection in buildings is a complex issue and the approved document will necessarily contain detailed technical material which is not intended for use by laypersons.

High Rise Flats: Fire Prevention

Harriet Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to the recommendation of Judge Kirkham following the conclusion of the Lakanal House fire inquest, what steps he has taken to encourage providers of housing in high-rise residential buildings containing multiple domestic premises to consider the retro-fitting of sprinkler systems.

Brandon Lewis: Following the inquest into the deaths of firefighters in a fire in a council owned block in April 2010, a letter had been sent to all social landlords encouraging them to consider the retro fitting of sprinklers as suggested in the Rule 43 recommendation from the Coroner in that inquest. The Department advised Judge Kirkham of this in its response to her letter and recommendation.

High Rise Flats: Fire Prevention

Harriet Harman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  with reference to the recommendation of Judge Kirkham following the conclusion of the Lakanal House fire inquest, when he expects to provide clear guidance on the scope of inspections which should be undertaken in high-rise residential buildings for fire risk assessment purposes;
	(2)  with reference to the recommendation of Judge Kirkham following the conclusion of the Lakanal House fire inquest, whether he has published consolidated national guidance in relation to the ‘stay put' principle and its interaction with the ‘get out and stay out' policy, including how such guidance is disseminated to residents.

Brandon Lewis: The Local Government Association's guidance ‘Fire Safety in Purpose Built Blocks of Flats’ published in July 2011 addresses the rationale for the stay-put principle in residential buildings, including high rise blocks of flats, and provides detailed advice on the fire safety information that should be made available to residents in the light of the findings of a risk assessment. It also provides advice on when building owners should consider accessing individual flats for the purpose of inspecting the effectiveness of compartmentation and other fire safety measures.
	Following the conclusion of the inquests, relevant partners have assured the Local Government Association that there is a high level of confidence in the existing guidance. My Department therefore continues to make it available on the fire safety pages of the Government's website, to help the owners of purpose built blocks of flats to understand and discharge their fire safety responsibilities under both the Housing Act 2004 and the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

Housing: Carbon Emissions

Anne McGuire: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of the effect of introducing national embodied energy standards for building materials on the zero carbon homes initiative.

Stephen Williams: No such assessment has been made as the zero carbon homes standard covers carbon emissions arising from energy use in relation to fixed heating, hot water and building services in new homes, which is the scope of the building regulations' requirements in relation to regulated energy use.

Housing: Carbon Emissions

Anne McGuire: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps his Department is taking to create national embodied energy standards for building materials as part of the Housing Standards review.

Stephen Williams: The Housing Standards Review consultation did not include a proposal for a national standard for embodied energy, but made clear that the Government would keep this under review and sought views on the issue. The consultation responses are currently being analysed. The Government will announce its conclusions on the consultation in due course.

Mobile Phones

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many smartphone apps his Department has launched.

Brandon Lewis: None, although a number of local authorities employ smart phone apps to assist in the delivery of local services.
	As a general principle, the Department would not develop or launch its own smart phone apps. Our preference is to ensure that data and information is made available in a fully open, accessible form, so that it can be quickly, easily and widely re-used in a range of digital channels including websites and smart phone apps developed by third-parties. This is central to our aims for open data to be an enabler of social and economic growth, by providing the fuel to power innovative new tools and insights.
	We are working proactively with various local authorities and third sector organisations to help them re-use DCLG data alongside their own sources. The data to power new apps and tools are being provided via the Department's Open Data Communities platform.

Performance Appraisal

Emma Lewell-Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what proportion of (a) disabled and (b) all other staff employed by his Department received each level of performance rating in their end of year performance assessment for 2012-13.

Brandon Lewis: The following table provides a summary of the performance results for non-SCS staff for whom the DCLG process applied. This is based on 1,032 staff who declared their disability (90% declaration rate):
	
		
			 Percentage 
			 Disability Exceptional Good Development needed Total 
			 Not disabled 30 64 6 100 
			 Disabled 25 60 15 100 
			 Overall 30 64 6 100 
		
	
	The Department was an early adopter of the new civil service performance management process in 2012-13. We will be monitoring whether the differential remains the case next year, and looking at how disabled staff fare in other HR processes, to determine whether there is a trend and, if so, to agree appropriate action.
	All staff are expected to agree individually tailored personal development plans with their line managers and review them regularly so they benefit from at least five days learning and development each year.
	DCLG provides a reasonable adjustments service to ensure disabled staff can access and benefit from the full range of training and development available.
	The Department's Disability Champion is working with the disability staff network in raising awareness of disability issues to the wider Department.

Planning Permission

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  which local authorities have (a) applied for and (b) been granted an Article 4 Direction in the last 12 months for which figures are available; and what the stated purpose was of each such application;
	(2)  how many local authorities were granted an Article 4 Direction in each of the last five years for which figures are available;
	(3)  what estimate he has made of the average (a) cost incurred by and (b) time taken for a local authority to successfully secure an Article 4 Direction from when the decision was taken by the local authority to start the necessary process required in order to apply.

Nicholas Boles: Local authorities are required to notify my Department of article 4 directions before they are brought into force. The number and nature of the directions notified for the period between 1 November 2012 and 31 October 2013 is set out in the following table. The time and costs incurred by a local authority will reflect the extent and complexity of the direction and is a matter for a local authority. Data on the number of authorities who have notified my Department of their article 4 directions has only been recorded nationally since the establishment of the National Planning Casework Unit. In 2012, 53 local authorities notified my Department and to date in 2013 notifications have been received from 33 local authorities.
	
		
			 Article 4 direction data for the period between 1 November 2012 and 31 October 2013 
			 Authority type, number of directions made and permitted development removed 
			 Local planning authority Number of article 4 directions Permitted development removed 
			 Peterborough Council 2 Classes within Part 31 (demolition of buildings) Classes within Part 31 (demolition of buildings) 
		
	
	
		
			 Rutland County Council 2 Classes within Part 1 (development within the curtilage of a dwellinghouse), Part 2 (minor operations), Part 31 (demolition of buildings) and Part 40 (installation of microgeneration equipment) 
			 Watford Council 32 29 directions covering locally listed buildings. 1 direction removing classes within Part 3 (change of use) 2 removing classes within Part 2 (minor operations) and Part 31 (demolition of buildings) 
			 Waltham Forest Council 1 Classes within Part 3 (change of use) 
			 Worthing Borough Council 3 Classes within Part 1 (development within the curtilage of a dwellinghouse) 
			 Chichester Council 2 Classes within Part 1 (development within the curtilage of a dwellinghouse) Classes within Part 2 (minor operations) 
			 Fareham Council 2 Classes within Part 1 (development within the curtilage of a dwellinghouse) Classes within Part 2 (minor operations) 
			 Bassetlaw District Council 1 Classes within Part 1 (development within the curtilage of a dwellinghouse) Classes within Part 2 (minor operations) and Classes within Part 40 (installation of microgeneration equipment) 
			 Wokingham Council 1 Land East and West of Hythe End Road—Directions relating two sites which the same restrictions 
			 Leicester City Council 3 Classes within Part 3 (change of use) Classes within Part 31 (demolition of buildings) and Part 2 (minor operations) Classes within Part 8 (Industrial and Warehouse Development) 
			 Dudley Council 1 Classes within Part 31 (demolition of buildings) 
			 Camden Borough Council 2 2 removing Classes within Part 31 (demolition of buildings) 
			 Tunbridge Wells Borough Council 4 2 directions to prevent development of horticultural holdings termed 'Grow Lots' Classes within Part 2 (minor operations) 
			 Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council 2 Classes within Part 2 (minor operations) 
			 Barnet Borough Council 1 Classes within Part 1 (development within the curtilage of a dwellinghouse) 
			 Cotswold District Council 1 Classes within Part 2 (minor operations) and Classes within Part 31 (demolition of buildings) 
			 Greenwich Borough Council  Article 4 Direction for the Ashburnham Triangle Conservation Area) Art 4(1) Direction 2013 
			 Barking and Dagenham Borough Council 1 Classes within Part 3 (change of use) 
			 Reigate & Banstead Borough Council 1 Classes within Part 2 (minor operations) 
			 Sevenoaks District Council 1 Classes within Part 2 (minor operations) 
			 Guilford Borough Council 2 Classes within Part 1 (development within the curtilage of a dwellinghouse) Classes within Part 2 (minor operations) 
			 Wolverhampton City Council 4 4 removing Classes within Part 2 (minor operations) 
		
	
	
		
			 Windsor and Maidenhead Borough Council 1 Classes within Part 2 (minor operations) 
			 Northampton Borough Council 1 Classes within Part 1 (development within the curtilage of a dwellinghouse) and Classes within Part 2 (minor operations) 
			 Basildon Borough Council 1 Classes within Part 4 (temporary buildings and uses) 
			 Mendip District Council 1 Classes within Part 40 (installation of microgeneration equipment) 
			 Hambleton Council 2 2 removing Classes within Part 1 (development within the curtilage of a dwellinghouse), Classes within Part 2 (minor operations) and Classes within Part 40 (installation of microgeneration equipment) 
			 Ashford Borough Council 2 2 removing classes within Part 5 (caravan site) 
			 Mole Valley 1 Classes within Part 1 (development within the curtilage of a dwellinghouse) 
			 Chiltern Council 1 Classes within Part 1 (development within the curtilage of a dwellinghouse) 
			 Sunderland Council 1 Classes within Part 3 (change of use) 
			 Sandwell Council 2 Classes within Part 31 (demolition of buildings) Direction relates to High St and Crocketts Lane, Smethwick Conservation Area, Cape Hill Town Centre, Smethwick Conservation Area, Smethwick Town Centre, High Street Conservation Area 
			 Redbridge Borough Council 1 Replacement Article 4 Direction to assist the local planning authority in managing householder forms of development to help conserve the special character and appearance of this road within the Wanstead Village Conservation Area 
			 Bromley Council 1 Direction to remove permitted development rights for Land to rear of properties no 1-39 Julian Rd, 64 Woodlands Rd and to the rear of 8-30 Woodlands Road, Orpington, Kent 
			 Haringey Borough Council 1 Classes within Part 3 (change of use) 
			 Coventry City Council 1 Classes within Part 31 (demolition of buildings) 
			 Lewisham Borough Council 1 Classes within Part 3 (change of use) 
			 Richmondshire Council 2 Classes within Part 40 (installation of microgeneration equipment) 
			 Harrogate Borough Council 1 Classes within Part 40 (installation of microgeneration equipment) 
			 South Somerset District Council 1 Classes within Part 1 (development within the curtilage of a dwellinghouse) 
			 Torridge Council 2 2 removing Classes within Part 2 (minor operations) 
			 Hull City Council 1 Classes within Part 3 (change of use) 
			 Harts Council 2 Classes within Part 3 (change of use) 
			 Total 97

Press: Subscriptions

Michael Dugher: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which newspapers, periodicals and trade profession publications his private ministerial office subscribes to on a (a) daily, (b) weekly, (c) monthly and (d) quarterly basis.

Brandon Lewis: Since May 2010, the Department has consolidated the seven separate sets of national newspapers previously received by the ministerial and special adviser offices under the last Administration to a single shared set of newspapers and periodicals (listed here), reducing costs from more than £23,000 in 2009-10 to £2,813.03 in 2012-13:
	
		
			 Publication Frequency 
			 Daily Express Monday to Friday 
			 Daily Mail Monday to Friday 
			 Daily Mirror Monday to Friday 
			 Daily Star Monday to Friday 
			 Daily Telegraph Monday to Friday 
			 Economist Weekly 
			 Financial Times Monday to Friday 
			 Guardian Monday to Friday 
			 Independent Monday to Friday 
			 Local Government Chronicle Weekly 
			 Municipal Journal Weekly 
			 PR Week Weekly 
			 Spectator Weekly 
			 Sun Monday to Friday 
			 Times Monday to Friday 
		
	
	I also refer the hon. Member to my answer of 13 June 2013, Official Report, columns 386-7W, which outlines the significant savings delivered on spending on press cuttings, and to my answer of 15 July 2013, Official Report, column 501W, on the savings we have made across departmental periodicals as a whole.

Travellers: Caravan Sites

Richard Fuller: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent steps he has taken to encourage local authorities to provide permanent sites for gypsies and travellers to prevent unauthorised encampments.

Brandon Lewis: On 9 August 2013, we sent all council leaders updated guidance, reminding them to act swiftly and setting out the strong powers councils and landowners have to remove illegal and unauthorised sites on both public and private land. This includes our recent improvements to Temporary Stop Notice powers.
	More broadly, councils should draw up Local Plans to determine where both housing for the settled community and for Travellers should and should not go.
	To support councils in delivering authorised site provision, we have allocated nearly £60 million in Traveller pitch funding to help local authorities and other registered providers build around 600 new pitches for rent and refurbish 400 existing pitches for rent by 2015. As with other types of housing, councils also receive the New Homes Bonus for the provision of new authorised pitches.
	Furthermore, to help councils in local planning, we are funding a training programme to develop local councillors' and partner agencies' leadership role. To date, nearly 1,000 attendees have benefited from the training.
	The Planning Advisory Service and the Planning Inspectorate have together visited over 200 local planning authorities to provide help with getting a good quality Local Plan in place, which includes planning for authorised Traveller sites where relevant.

Wind Power: Planning Permission

Geoffrey Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of the effect of the Planning Practice Guidance for Renewable and Low Carbon Energy issued by his Department in July 2013 on (a) the number of wind turbine application appeals sent to the Inspectorate and (b) the number of refusals overturned by the Inspectorate citing the above guidance.

Kris Hopkins: The appeals recovery criteria have recently been changed as detailed in the written ministerial statement of 10 October 2013, Official Report, columns 30-31 WS, so that the extent to which new practice guidance is meeting the Government's intentions can be considered. A number of appeals relating to wind turbines have been recovered.

Wind Power: Planning Permission

Geoffrey Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will issue guidance on the application of his Department's Planning Practice Guidance for Renewable and Low Carbon Energy, clauses 39 and 40; and how the cumulative landscape and visual effect of turbines is assessed.

Kris Hopkins: In addition to the advice set out in paragraphs 39 and 40 on how the cumulative landscape and visual effect of turbines should be assessed, the guidance also sets out in subsequent paragraphs what information is needed to assess these impacts. We have no current plans to add to the guidance published in July, but we have said that we will keep it under review.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Charities Act 2006

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what reports her Department has laid before each House of Parliament pursuant to section 70(9) of the Charities Act 2006 in 2012-13.

James Brokenshire: The Home Department has yet to submit its 2012-13 report to each House of Parliament. We expect to publish the report shortly.

David Miranda

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the National Security Council was informed prior to the detention of Mr Miranda at Heathrow Airport on 18 August 2013.

James Brokenshire: holding answer 25 October 2013
	The decision to examine and detain Mr Miranda, under schedule 7 to the Terrorism Act 2000, was an operational one taken by the Metropolitan Police Service. It is not unusual for a Minister to be briefed on a possible police operation without in anyway interfering with the police's decision on whether to take the particular action in question. The Secretary of State for the Home Department, who is a member of the National Security Council, has already confirmed that she was informed of the possible police operation.

David Miranda

Diana Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether (a) her Department and (b) any of her Department's Executive agencies notified the Attorney-General before David Miranda was detained at Heathrow Airport on 18 August 2013; and whether the Attorney-General has provided her with legal guidance on the use of Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000.

James Brokenshire: holding answer 25 October 2013
	The decision to examine and detain Mr Miranda, under schedule 7 to the Terrorism Act 2000, was an operational one taken by the Metropolitan Police Service. It is a long-standing Government convention not to refer to the existence or otherwise of legal advice from the Law Officers.

Energy

Jason McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much her Department spent on (a) gas and (b) electricity in (i) 2010-11 and (ii) 2011-12.

James Brokenshire: Home Office expenditure including VAT on (a) gas and (b) electricity in (i) 2010-11 and (ii) 2011-12 was:
	
		
			 £ 
			  2010-11 2011-12 
			 (a) Gas 589,948 639,777 
			 (b) Electricity 5,059,795 5,199,280

Energy

Jason McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps her Department is taking to reduce its spending on (a) gas and (b) electricity.

James Brokenshire: In October 2013 we published our Sustainability Report 2012-13, which updates the Department's performance since 2009-10 against the Greening Government Commitments and sets out some of the steps taken to reduce spending on (a) gas and (b) electricity since 2009-10. Last year we focused on:
	day-to-day energy management of the estate;
	ensuring building energy was supplied via Government Procurement Service contracts which deliver optimum value for money;
	continuing our programme of office consolidations;
	installing improved boiler controls and voltage optimisers;
	installing LED lighting in place of halogen light bulbs, all motion sensitive light controls; and
	reducing consumption by computers and computer equipment, especially monitors and printers.

Energy

Jason McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which companies supplied (a) gas and (b) electricity to her Department in (i) 2010-11 and (ii) 2011-12.

James Brokenshire: In (i) 2010-11 and (ii) 2011-12 almost all Home Office properties, which we directly managed, were supplied by (a) Corona Energy Ltd and (b) EDF Energy or British Gas Trading Ltd through Government Procurement Service (GPS) contracts. A small number of sites were supplied by other arrangements before being transferred to GPS contracts. These included;
	Gas
	Phoenix Energy and Total Gas and Power;
	Electricity
	Airtricity Energy Supply (Northern Ireland);
	Gas and Electricity
	E.ON, RWE Npower and SWALEC.

EU Justice and Home Affairs

Jacob Rees-Mogg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what proposals the Government would bring forward to maintain the relevant co-operation were the UK no longer bound by Council Common Position 2005/69/JHA pursuant to Article 10 of the Protocol on Transitional Provisions annexed to the EU treaties;
	(2)  whether UK practice regarding the information exchange covered by Council Common Position 2005/69/JHA would change as a result of the UK ceasing to be bound by that Common Position pursuant to Article 10 of the Protocol on Transitional Provisions annexed to the EU treaties.

James Brokenshire: As the UK has opted out of this measure, it is important to note that on 1 December 2014 the UK will have the power to change legislation or practice on this matter in our Parliament. At the moment, there is currently no intention to bring forward any new proposals or change current UK law or practice.
	Section 7 of the Crime and Courts Act 2013 (which repeals sections 33 and 34 of the Serious and Organised Crime and Police Act 2005) provides for the disclosure of relevant information for the purposes of preventing and detecting crime. Under these provisions, the UK will continue to share UK Passport Lost or Stolen data with Interpol. The UK will continue to have access to relevant overseas databases on lost or stolen passports.

EU Justice and Home Affairs

Jacob Rees-Mogg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  whether UK contact points are obliged to attend plenary meetings of the European Judicial Network held pursuant to Article 5 of Council Decision 2008/976/JHA;
	(2)  what the cost to the public purse has been of European Judicial Network meetings held pursuant to Article 6 of Council Decision 2008/976/JHA in each of the last four years; and what her assessment is of the usefulness of co-operation with other EU member states in the fight against crime of the UK's participation in those meetings;
	(3)  whether UK authorities will continue to provide, in relation to other EU member states, the functions of contact points as provided for by Article 4 of Council Decision 2008/976/JHA if the UK ceases to be bound by that Council Decision pursuant to Article 10 of the Protocol on Transitional Provisions annexed to the EU treaties;
	(4)  what the cost to the public purse has been of UK participation in Council Decision 2008/976/JHA in each of the last four years;
	(5)  how many times UK authorities have (a) sent and (b) received communications through the secure telecommunications connection established under Article 9 of Council Decision 2008/976/JHA in each of the last four years; what the outcome of such communications, in terms of cross-border co-operation, was in each case; what her assessment is of the usefulness for co-operation with other EU member states in the fight against crime of the UK's access to the telecommunications tools provided for by that Article; and whether the UK will continue to have access to those tools if it ceases to be bound by that Council Decision pursuant to Article 10 of the Protocol on Transitional Provisions annexed to the EU treaties;
	(6)  what her assessment is of the usefulness for co-operation with other EU member states in the fight against crime of the UK's access to the information described in Article 7 of Council Decision 2008/976/JHA; and whether the UK will continue to have access to and share this information if it ceases to be bound by that Decision pursuant to Article 10 of the Protocol on Transitional Provisions annexed to the EU treaties;
	(7)  how many times UK authorities used a European Judicial Network contact point in another EU member state in a way that materially assisted cross-border co-operation in each of the last four years; and whether UK authorities will remain able to use such contact points if the UK ceases to be bound by Council Decision 2008/976/JHA pursuant to Article 10 of the Protocol on Transitional Provisions annexed to the EU treaties.

James Brokenshire: holding answer 28 October 2013
	There is no legal obligation for UK Contact Points to attend plenary meetings of the European Judicial Network (EJN) held pursuant to Article 5 of Council Decision 2008/976/JHA.
	The costs incurred to the public purse for UK participation in Council Decision 2008/976/JHA are minimal. The cost of travel and accommodation for meetings held pursuant to Article 6 of Council Decision 2008/976/JHA for National Correspondents and Tool Correspondents is met by the EJN. There is a minimal cost attached to the time spent by the UK National Correspondents and Tool Correspondents in preparing and attending EJN meetings pursuant to Article 6.
	These meetings are a useful way of meeting counterparts in other member states, but overall the UK experience of the EJN meetings, and the fact that direct contact between issuing and executing parties generally happens as matter of course, means that they add limited value to enhancing judicial co-operation between member states.
	UK authorities can, if required, continue to provide the functions of contact points as provided for by Article 4 of Council Decision 2008/976/JHA.
	The information described in Article 7 of Council Decision 2008/976/JHA, with the exception of Contact Points, is freely available to the general public on the EJN website:
	http://ejn-crimjust.europa.eu/ejn/
	The UK provides similar information about judicial co-operation on the Government website. Access to the list of Contact Points requires authorisation, but a few countries not party to the Council Decision 2008/976/JHA provide and have access to Contact Point information.
	The UK does not use the telecommunications connection tool established under Article 9 of Council Decision 2008/976/JHA.
	Information on the number of times an EJN Contact Point in a member state has been contacted by and materially assisted a UK Contact Point is not held centrally.

EU Justice and Home Affairs

Jacob Rees-Mogg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what her assessment is of which aspects of the UK's bilateral extradition relationship with the US will be affected, and in what way, if the UK ceases to be bound by the EU-USA Extradition Agreement pursuant to article 10 of the Protocol on Transitional Provisions annexed to the EU Treaties;
	(2)  what the cost to the public purse has been of UK participation in the EU-US extradition agreement in each of the last five years;
	(3)  what changes to the UK-US extradition agreement have been made as a result of the EU-US extradition agreement; and in how many cases such changes have had a significant effect on extradition between the UK and US in each of the last five years.

James Brokenshire: The Government has assessed that no aspects of the UK's bilateral relationship will be affected when the UK ceases to be bound by the EU-USA Extradition Agreement. The pre-existing bilateral extradition treaty with the US, as amended, would be maintained. The UK and US work closely on extradition issues on a bilateral basis already, with attachés posted in Washington and London respectively.
	Information on the costs, incurred to the public purse in each of the last five years as a result of participation in this measure is not held centrally.
	The EU-US Agreement simplified the certification of documents, and made minor amendments to the transmission of documents via diplomatic channels. These amendments were not significant and have had no impact on co-operation.
	As the Home Secretary said to Parliament on 9 July 2013, Official Report, columns 177-80, as a point of principle, the UK's international relations in policing and criminal justice are first and foremost a matter for Her Majesty's Government. As the UK has opted out of this measure, it is important to note that on 1 December 2014, the UK will be able to agree the terms of our extradition arrangements bilaterally with the US. In the meantime, the Government will retain unchanged existing UK law and practice.

EU Justice and Home Affairs

Jacob Rees-Mogg: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what the cost to the (a) public purse and (b) UK forensic service providers has been of UK participation in Council Framework Decision 2009/905/JHA in each of the last four years;
	(2)  how many times UK forensic service providers have been provided forensic laboratory results covered by Council Framework Decision 2009/905/JHA to the authorities of another EU member state responsible for the prevention, detection or investigation of criminal offences in each of the last five years; on how many of those occasions those authorities accepted such results as being equally reliable as results generated by service providers accredited to EN ISO/IEC 17025; and what use was made of such results in each case;
	(3)  how many EU member states have implemented the requirements of Council Framework Decision 2009/905/JHA to date;
	(4)  what assessment she has made of the potential impact of the UK's non-participation in Council Framework Decision 2009/905/JHA on the use in other EU member states of laboratory results covered by that Framework Decision generated by UK forensic service providers.

James Brokenshire: No costs have been incurred to the public purse or UK forensic providers in the last four years as a result of participation in Framework Decision 2009/905/JHA.
	Information on how many times UK forensic service providers have been provided with forensic laboratory results covered by Council Framework Decision 2009/905/JHA; how many of those occasions those authorities accepted such results as being equally reliable as results generated by service providers accredited to EN ISO/IEC 17025; and what use was made of such results in each case is not held centrally.
	Information on the number of EU member states that have implemented the requirements of Council Framework Decision 2009/905/JHA is not held by the Government. It is worth noting that Article 7 sets out a number of future deadlines for implementation of the provisions of this Framework Decision and member states are only required to report on implementation in 2018.
	The Government has assessed that there will be no adverse impact on the use in other EU member states of laboratory results generated by UK forensic service providers.
	As the UK has opted out of this measure, it is important to note that on 1 December 2014 the UK will have the power to change legislation and operational practices if required. At the moment, there is no intention to change provisions of UK law and operational practices are a matter for the Forensic Science Regulator.

European Police College

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what assessment she has made of the benefits to the UK of hosting the EU Police College; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  how much income her Department received each year from the European Community for hosting the EU Police College; and if she will make a statement.

Damian Green: The European Police College (CEPOL) is currently co-located with the College of Policing at Bramshill. The Government has decided to sell the Bramshill site as it does not represent good value for money for the taxpayer. The Government has assessed that the costs saved by the sale of Bramshill outweigh other factors, including the benefits of hosting CEPOL. The Government supports CEPOL's continued existence as an independent European Union Agency and will support its relocation elsewhere in Europe.
	CEPOL is an agency of the European Union funded directly from the EU's general budget. It receives €8.451 million (approximately (£6.85 million) per annum. CEPOL currently pays the College of Policing facilities management costs of £266,000 per annum.

G4S

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many days in the last two years G4S had a full staff complement as specified in its contract at the immigration removal centres at (a) Brook House, Gatwick, (b) Tinsley House, Gatwick and (c) the Cedars, Pease Pottage.

Mark Harper: holding answer 1 November 2013
	During the last two years each of the centres has been short of its full complement on the following number of occasions.
	Tinsley House; 16 days. The majority of these days have been single days due to short notice sickness or serious weather disruption.
	Cedars is not an immigration removal centre, it is pre-departure accommodation for families.
	Cedars; 51 days. The majority of these days have been single days due to short notice sickness. Otherwise the reduction was due to agreed reductions with the Home Office in response to planned lower occupancy levels.
	Brook House; 14 days. The majority of these days have been single days due to short notice sickness or serious weather disruption.
	The Home Office has monitoring arrangements in place to ensure that the safety and security of detainees is maintained at all times.

Human Trafficking: Children

Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the number of children trafficked (a) into and (b) out of the UK annually.

James Brokenshire: The Inter Departmental Ministerial Group on Human Trafficking Annual Report provides data on the number of potential victims of trafficking, including a breakdown of child referrals. In 2012 there were 371 children referred to national referral mechanism (NRM). The report can be found at:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/251487/9794-TSO-HMG_Human_ Trafficking.pdf
	This figure includes victims who are trafficked within the UK. There is limited knowledge on the number of children trafficked out of the UK. The Government is committed to safeguarding victims of child trafficking and views the trafficking of children as a very serious offence. We are taking action on a number of fronts including working with front line professionals to help them better identify and support potential victims, particularly children.

Human Trafficking: Children

Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she has put in place to identify victims of child trafficking at UK borders.

James Brokenshire: Border Force works together with other agencies such as the police, National Crime Agency and local authorities to prevent and detect trafficking at the border. All Border Force staff are trained to identify safeguarding concerns and guidance, alerts and intelligence are used to give officers the information they need to intervene.
	When safeguarding concerns are identified officers refer to the statutory agencies that have a child protection or child welfare role and in the case of child trafficking to the National Referral Mechanism, the UK's multi agency trafficking victim identification and support framework.

Ministers

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions she has had with (a) the Prime Minister, (b) the Deputy Prime Minister and (c) other Cabinet colleagues on the appointment of junior Ministers to her Department (i) prior to and (ii) since the recent reshuffle.

James Brokenshire: holding answer 17 October 2013
	Home Office Ministers have regular discussions with ministerial colleagues and others. As was the case with previous administrations, it is not the Government’s practice to provide details of all such meetings.

Police: Cumbria

John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much core police funding her Department allocated to the (a) Cumbrian Police Authority or (b) Cumbrian Police and Crime Commissioner in (i) cash and (ii) real terms in each year since 1995-96.

Damian Green: holding answer 1 November 2013
	The following table shows the amount of core Government revenue funding provided by the Home Office, to the Cumbria Police Authority (from November 2012 the Police and Crime Commissioner for Cumbria) in 1995-96 and the subsequent years.
	
		
			 Core revenue HO funding 
			 £ million 
			  Cash Real (2012-13 base year) 
			 1995-96 26.9 37.8 
			 1996-97 28.7 39.6 
			 1997-98 30.0 41.9 
			 1998-99 30.3 41.5 
			 1999-2000 30.2 40.6 
			 2000-01 32.5 43.4 
			 2001-02 35.3 45.8 
			 2002-03 36.3 46.1 
			 2003-04 39.4 49.0 
			 2004-05 39.7 48.2 
			 2005-06 41.9 49.8 
			 2006-07 35.9 41.6 
			 2007-08 37.2 41.9 
			 2008-09 38.0 41.7 
			 2009-10 38.9 41.5 
			 2010-11 38.8 40.4 
			 2011-12 35.8 36.5 
		
	
	
		
			 2012-13 33.3 33.3 
			 2013-14 (1)65.8 64.4 
			 (1) Includes £33.9 million in formula grant funding which in previous years had been paid by the Department for Communities and Local Government but from 2013-14 onwards is being paid by the Home Office. 
		
	
	Real figures are calculated using the latest GDP deflators. These are updated and published regularly by Her Majesty's Treasury and therefore can change the way that the real figures in the table are represented.
	The figures in the table represent the amount of revenue funding provided by the Home Office to Cumbria. However, due to changes in police revenue funding over this time period which include a move away from Regional Crime Squads (RCS) and a change in the way pensions are funded, it is difficult to compare spending power between years.
	In addition, the police also receive central Government grant from other sources including the Department for Communities and Local Government and the Welsh Government in Wales. They also receive funding from the police precept component of council tax and a small amount of income from charging for additional services.

Police: Interviews

Ann Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will take steps to encourage the police to request the appointment of registered intermediaries prior to the formal police interview; and if she will make a statement.

Damian Green: The revised Code of Practice for Victims of Crime was published on 29 October 2013 and will come into force in December 2013. It will require the police to appoint a suitably trained professional to conduct interviews with victims in a way that considers their needs and views and takes into account factors such as the need for a registered intermediary to help them to communicate their evidence effectively.

Police: Training

Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what proportion of police officers have received training in mental health in each of the last five years.

Damian Green: The College of Policing delivers such training direct to police officers and staff through the Mental Ill Health Awareness e-learning module which went live on 21 April 2010. The module was completed by 7,231 officers and staff in 2010; 17,949 in 2011; 16,711 in 2012; and 22,095 in 2013.
	The college's precursor organisation, the National Police Improvement Agency, ran “train the trainer” Mental Ill Health and Learning Disabilities workshops and awareness training. The sessions were attended by 199 delegates in 2010 and 106 delegates in 2011.
	Aspects of mental ill health are also addressed in other training courses including: the National Custody Learning Programme; Personal Safety Training; First Aid Training; National Decision Model Training; Introduction to Diversity Training; the Core Leadership Programme; and the Public Protection Programme—Vulnerable Adults. Much of this training is delivered by individual forces and information on numbers of officers trained is not held centrally.
	It is not possible to provide information on the proportion of officers trained year on year.

Tattooing: Children

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions there have been for the tattooing of a minor in each year since 2010.

Jeremy Wright: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Ministry of Justice.
	Data for offences under the Tattooing of Minors Act 1969 cannot be separately identified on the Ministry of Justice Court Proceedings Database as they form part of a miscellaneous group which cannot be separately analysed.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Civil Partnerships

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when she expects to report from the review she initiated into extending civil partnerships to opposite sex couples.

Helen Grant: The terms of reference and timetable for the review of the operation and future of the Civil Partnership Act 2004 are available in the House Libraries and on the Department's website.

Tourism: Coastal Areas

Mark Menzies: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what steps she is taking to promote UK tourism in seaside resorts during the low-season.

Helen Grant: VisitEngland's existing 'Seaside Resorts Action Plan' refers to countering seasonality. Their coastal and seaside towns thematic marketing campaigns will run early in the season to capture the pre-summer period, and case studies are being developed to encourage late season/low season events for resorts to help reduce the impact of seasonality. Messaging regarding seaside holidays also focuses on participation in activities so that holidays can be less weather- or season-dependent.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Written Questions

Chris Ruane: To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, representing the House of Commons Commission, pursuant to the answer of 25 June 2013, Official Report, column 143W, on Written Questions, how many written parliamentary questions were tabled on each sitting day from 25 June 2013 to date.

John Thurso: The number of parliamentary questions tabled for written answer each sitting day since 25 June 2013 is set out in the table. In order to present a complete and accurate answer, non-sitting Fridays and recess periods have also been included.
	
		
			 Date (2013) Day Written PQs tabled 
			 25 June Tuesday 256 
			 26 June Wednesday 384 
			 27 June Thursday 230 
			 28 June Friday (non-sitting) 58 
			 1 July Monday 252 
			 2 July Tuesday 274 
			 3 July Wednesday 366 
			 4 July Thursday 211 
			 5 July Friday 127 
			 8 July Monday 282 
			 9 July Tuesday 298 
			 10 July Wednesday 371 
			 11 July Thursday 246 
			 12 July Friday 133 
			 15 July Monday 331 
			 16 July Tuesday 302 
			 17 July Wednesday 249 
			 18 July Thursday 219 
			 29 August Summer recess 582 
			 30 August Friday (non-sitting) 42 
			 2 September Monday 120 
			 3 September Tuesday 170 
			 4 September Wednesday 185 
			 5 September Thursday 151 
			 6 September Friday 65 
			 9 September Monday 515 
			 10 September Tuesday 264 
			 11 September Wednesday 282 
			 12 September Thursday 187 
			 13 September Friday 48 
			 7 September Conference recess 618 
			 8 October Tuesday 241 
			 9 October Wednesday 259 
			 10 October Thursday 209 
			 11 October Friday (non-sitting) 80 
			 14 October Monday 202 
			 15 October Tuesday 289 
			 16 October Wednesday 253 
			 17 October Thursday 211 
			 18 October Friday 71 
			 21 October Monday 146 
			 22 October Tuesday 203 
			 23 October Wednesday 223 
			 24 October Thursday 252 
			 25 October Friday 130 
			 28 October Monday 269 
			 29 October Tuesday 174 
			 30 October Wednesday 297

DEFENCE

Joint Strike Fighter

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made on the joint strike fighter trials taking place in the US.

Philip Dunne: The Joint Strike Fighter trials are on track and progressing well. The F-35B is making good progress through its development test programme and recently completed its second period of embarked ship trials aboard the USS WASP, when all test objectives were satisfied.

Queen Elizabeth Class Carriers

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he estimates that the new Queen Elizabeth class carriers will become operational; and if he will make a statement.

Philip Hammond: As announced in the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review, we remain fully committed to achieving an operational Carrier Strike capability in 2020, based around the new Queen Elizabeth Class Carrier and the Joint Strike Fighter. The programme plans sea trial in 2017, flying trials with the F35B Lightning II in 2018 and will deliver an Initial Operating Capability for Carrier Srike in 2020 with HMS Queen Elizabeth. It is expected that a final decision on the use of the second carrier will be taken as part of the next Strategic Defence and Security Review in 2015.

Prosthetics and Rehabilitation

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what investment his Department has made in the provision of prosthetics and rehabilitation for injured troops since 2010.

Anna Soubry: The current annual running costs to provide the capability at the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre, based at Headley Court, are in the region of £26.5 million.
	In addition to this there are specialist contracts providing support to amputees, including the provision of appropriate prosthetics, and these are in the order of £4.5 million per annum. Specific investment in the infrastructure at Headley Court since 2010 has been in the order of £25 million.
	Headley Court continues to provide the most up-to-date and clinically appropriate prosthetic devices available in the UK. In February of this year, we announced that an additional £6.5 million had been provided to ensure access to advanced microprocessor controlled prosthetic systems for serving personnel and those injured on operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Defence: South East Asia

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the UK's obligations are under the Southeast Asia Collective Defense Treaty.

Andrew Murrison: The main obligation under the Southeast Asia Collective Defense treaty (the “Manila Pact”) is that all parties will “act to meet the common danger” in accordance with their own constitutional processes, in the event of aggression by means of armed attack in the treaty area against any of the parties. The nature of those acts is not prescribed. It would be for each party to determine whether an armed attack in the treaty area against any of the other parties had occurred, and if so, what actions it should take in response.

Military Alliances

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent progress his Department has made on developing ties between the British and Chinese armed forces; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Murrison: Our bilateral military ties with China comprise a programme of high level visits, expert level exchanges, short-term training courses (mainly related to Peace Support Operations and Counter-Piracy) and a small number of places for Chinese students in defence education establishments.
	Recently our links have improved; we have hosted a visit to the UK by a delegation led by a Chinese Military Region Commander as part of our efforts o engage with Chinese senior military leaders who were promoted in 2012. We have also begun talks with China on the conduct of Non-Combatant Evacuation Operations, are expanding our dialogues on maritime issues, and have increased UK participation on Chinese defence courses.

Military Alliances

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a copy of the agenda for the next Five Powers Defence Chiefs Conference.

Andrew Murrison: The agenda for the next Five Powers Defence Chiefs Conference has not yet been agreed. However, once it has been, I will place a copy in the Library of the House.

Military Alliances

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the UK's obligations are under the Five Powers Defence Arrangements.

Andrew Murrison: Under the Five Powers Defence Arrangements, the five powers (Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Singapore and the UK) undertook to consult "immediately" in the event or threat of an armed attack on Malaysia or Singapore "for the purpose of deciding what measures should be taken jointly or separately" in response. There is no specific commitment to intervene militarily.

Type 45 Destroyers

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether a £500,000 radar unit has been lost from a Type 45 destroyer; what action has been taken to recover it; and whether it has been recovered.

Philip Dunne: The loss of a radar system component worth £527,000 was reported in the Ministry of Defence Annual Report and Accounts for financial year 2012-13. The last known location of the component was when it was replaced on a Type 45 destroyer. Regrettably, despite prolonged investigations, the faulty component has not been recovered.

TRANSPORT

Blackpool-Preston Railway Line

Mark Menzies: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to introduce a passing loop on the Blackpool South Line between Blackpool and Preston.

Stephen Hammond: This is a matter for Network Rail, who are responsible for the infrastructure on the GB rail network.

Driving Under Influence: Barrow in Furness

John Woodcock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many road traffic accidents where drink or drugs were a contributory factor and resulting in (a) minor injury, (b) serious injury and (c) death occurred in Barrow and Furness constituency in each of the last five years.

Robert Goodwill: The following table gives (a) the total number of reported personal injury accidents and (b) the number of reported personal injury accidents where drink or drugs were a contributory factor in Barrow and Furness constituency for 2008 to 2012.
	
		
			  Accidents Accidents where drink or drugs were a contributory factor 
			 2008 251 9 
			 2009 220 8 
			 2010 202 12 
			 2011 168 5 
			 2012 175 4 
		
	
	Statistics on the severity of accidents where drink or drugs were a contributory factor cannot be released at parliamentary constituency level. The figures are very small and their release could result in the identification of individuals involved in the accidents.
	Please note that contributory factors are reported only for injury road accidents where a police officer attended the scene. These factors are largely subjective, reflecting the attending officer’s opinion at the time of reporting. It is recognised that subsequent enquiries could lead to the reporting officer changing his/her opinion.

East Coast Railway Line

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the decision was taken not to use Directly Operated Railways Ltd as a comparator for assessing the value for money of future bids for the InterCity East Coast rail passenger franchise.

Stephen Hammond: It was never the intention to use the historic performance of directly operated railways as a comparator for future franchise bids. The nature of rail operations means that their circumstances change over time with infrastructure and rolling stock investment as well as changes in track access charges and the performance of the wider economy, which makes comparing any franchise to another or even to historical data on itself imprudent.
	However, as with all franchise competitions, the Department has developed a comparator model to assess franchise bids against that is informed by base data from the current operator.

East Coast Railway Line

Ian Lavery: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what investment has he made in (a) infrastructure, (b) rolling stock and (c) stations on the East Coast main line since 2009-10.

Stephen Hammond: Network Rail owns the infrastructure on the GB rail network. Infrastructure investment is undertaken by Network Rail. The Department does not hold the information requested. Network Rail may well have more detail as regards to providing the total costs by line or route. Network Rail may not hold the information by franchise. The network is shared across operators.
	With regards to rolling stock, the Department does not hold the information requested. The only information the Department holds is on lease costs for each franchise. However, this information is commercially sensitive. Investment for rolling stock can and does come from various sources (for example the rolling stock companies and operators).
	All stations on the network are owned by Network Rail; they are managed by either Network Rail, train operators, concessions (MerseyRail for example) or Passenger Transport Executives. Although the Department can and does specify station improvement outcomes in franchise agreements, the station agent for that station is given the commercial freedom to negotiate the best value for money deal for that outcome, and is under no obligation to report that information to the Department. Funding for station investment can and does come from non-departmental sources. There is no obligation to inform the Department of funding generated from non-departmental sources.

Energy

Jason McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  how much his Department spent on (a) gas and (b) electricity in (i) 2010-11 and (ii) 2011-12;
	(2)  who the provider was for (a) gas and (b) electricity for his Department in (i) 2010-11 and (ii) 2011-12;
	(3)  what steps he is taking to reduce the cost of gas and electricity provision for his Department.

Stephen Hammond: The Department for Transport has spent the following amounts on gas and electricity:
	
		
			 £ 
			  2010-11 2011-12 
			 Gas 830,763 1,467,647 
			 Electricity 6,255,277 7,051,395 
		
	
	During this period the following providers have supplied gas and electricity:
	Gas
	British Gas;
	Corona;
	E.ON;
	Npower;
	Powergen; and
	Scottish Power.
	Electricity
	Alliance;
	British Gas;
	EDF;
	E.ON;
	Npower;
	Opus Energy;
	Powergen;
	Scottish Hydro;
	Scottish Power;
	Southern Electric; and
	Swallec.
	The Department closely monitors and manages energy consumption in order to meet targets from the Greening Government Commitment and the Carbon Reduction Commitment Energy Efficiency Scheme; and has undertaken various site specific measures to reduce the cost of electricity and gas provision:
	Energy efficiency measures
	To reduce the amount it uses in line with the Governments Greening Government Commitments by increasing the efficiency of its estate. This includes using a gas powered combined heat and power (CHP) to produce a proportion of its own electricity and make use of the excess heat.
	Purchasing
	The Department uses Government Procurement Services frameworks to purchase its electricity and gas. This bulk buying through central Government allows for value for money purchasing and reduces price volatility.
	Financial scrutiny
	The Department ensures that bills are scrutinised to ensure accuracy and to minimise the risk of being overcharged for supply.
	Rationalisation of the estate
	By reducing the amount of office space we use, and reducing energy loss through improved insulation, improved heating and lighting controls/energy efficient lighting.
	Installation of renewable energy technology
	Wind turbines installed at three sites, photovoltaics panels at one site and solar water heating one site.

Heathrow Airport

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he made of the study by the Small Area Health Statistics Unit at Imperial College, London, Aircraft noise and cardiovascular disease near Heathrow Airport in London, published on 8 October 2013.

Robert Goodwill: The Government was aware of research associating exposure to aircraft noise with certain health effects such as cardiovascular disease. This latest study does not prove causality between aircraft noise exposure and these health risks, though it does add further evidence that this may be possible. Heart disease and stroke usually involve a combination of risk factors and it would not be possible to prove that a heart attack or stroke was caused by aircraft noise. The results of the study will be evaluated and, alongside other existing evidence, will be used to help inform our policy development.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Khalid Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  how many people are currently employed on the High Speed 2 project;
	(2)  how many people employed on the High Speed 2 project are based in (a) London and (b) Birmingham.

Robert Goodwill: As of 31 October 2013, HS2 Ltd employed 557 people, of whom 550 were based in London and seven in Birmingham. The Department of Transport employed 83 people in its High Speed 2 Group, all of whom were based in London and none in Birmingham.

Large Goods Vehicles

Jessica Lee: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will bring forward legislative proposals to require HGV drivers to use only satellite navigation software from which weight-restricted roads have been removed.

Robert Goodwill: All road users benefit from clear directions, including HGV drivers. It is clearly not in the interests of HGV drivers to rely upon inaccurate information, which may make them late or even involve them in accidents. Nevertheless, we believe that legislation would be a costly, bureaucratic and inappropriate way of dealing with the problem. Instead we have made significant efforts to link together freight associations, local authorities and sat-nav companies to ensure that HGV drivers are aware of the issue and have the latest information available to them.

Motorways: Speed Limits

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidance his Department gives to officials who determine the temporary speed limits displayed on managed motorways (a) to ensure consistency and (b) to ensure that the temporary speed limits displayed are not lower than is reasonable or necessary; and if he will make a statement.

Robert Goodwill: Typically, variable mandatory speed limits are set by an automated system in response to changes in the speed and flow of traffic, although the Highways Agency can set them manually if needed. Variable speed limits are used to control traffic at times of heavy congestion to improve traffic flow, or following an incident for safety reasons. They are also used to ensure the safety of road workers when cones are being set out.
	This automated system is based on research undertaken to establish the optimum speeds for maximising traffic flow. The rules governing these speeds are set via algorithms which are calibrated according to traffic flow. The automation of the system ensures a rapid response and also consistency across the motorway network.
	Highways Agency operators can also manually set signs and signals. To do this they must select an appropriate reason within the technology system, which will automatically assign an appropriate speed for that incident. For example, an unconfirmed incident would generate 50 mph in all lanes but a lane closure would generate 40 mph speeds in the adjacent lanes to preserve safety. Again, this ensures consistency across regions.
	Operators do have delegated authority to override a speed limit with a lower speed, if required for safety reasons such as reducing the likelihood of secondary collisions following an incident. This is governed by Highways Agency procedures and is only done at the request of a traffic officer or police officer at the scene, or if adverse driver behaviour is observed by CCTV.
	Under these procedures, control centre operators must check the validity of both automatic and manual speed setting. If an operator becomes aware of a speed limit which is not credible or appropriate to traffic conditions, he or she should take immediate action to remove it.

Railways: Franchises

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether bidders for future rail passenger franchises will be asked to consider providing an additional class of travel between first and standard class.

Stephen Hammond: The Department for Transport has no intention of requiring bidders to propose an intermediate class of travel as part of their bids for future rail passenger franchises. Bidders are however free to consider such initiatives where they meet the overall requirements of the Department's specification.

Railways: Franchises

Nia Griffith: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to include in franchise agreements with train operating companies a requirement to provide redress to passengers or impose conditions to ensure that in no circumstances passengers will be held on trains for excessive periods of time.

Stephen Hammond: Passenger charter makes provision for redress to passengers in the event of significant delay to a journey.
	Although it is clearly undesirable for passengers to be stranded on trains for considerable periods of time, there may be circumstances when it is preferable for passengers to stay within the relative safety of the train carriage. Train operators take steps to learn lessons from such incidents and share good practice across the industry.

Railways: Franchises

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport to what extent his Department used its Rail Franchising Competition Guide when designing the Invitation to Tender for the Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern passenger franchise.

Stephen Hammond: The invitation to tender (ITT) for the Thameslink, Southern and Great Northern (TSGN) franchise competition was in the process of being designed at the time of the development of the Franchise Competition Guide. The competition process the ITT describes is in line with the guide and, as published in the guide, if there are any conflicts then the ITT takes precedence over the guide.

Railways: Franchises

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on which occasions officials in his Department have discussed rail franchising policy with founder members of the Rail Delivery Group since June 2012.

Stephen Hammond: Officials in the Department have consistent and regular dialogue with the members of the Rail Delivery Group; have met them on a number of occasions since June 2012 and will continue to do so.

Railways: South West

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what investment there has been in (a) infrastructure, (b) rolling stock and (c) stations on the South Western Line since 2009-10.

Stephen Hammond: Network Rail owns the infrastructure on the GB rail network, and infrastructure investment is undertaken by them. The Department does not hold the information requested. Network Rail may well have more detail as regards to providing the total costs by line or route, however Network Rail may not hold the information by franchise as the network is shared across operators.
	With regards to rolling stock, the Department does not hold the information requested. The only information the Department holds is on lease costs for each franchise. However, this information is commercially sensitive. Investment for rolling stock can and does come from various sources (for example the rolling stock companies and operators).
	All stations on the network are owned by Network Rail; they are managed by either Network Rail, train operators, concessions (MerseyRail for example) or Passenger Transport Executives. Although the Department can and does specify station improvement outcomes in franchise agreements, the station agent for that station is given the commercial freedom to negotiate the best value for money deal for that outcome, and is under no obligation to report that information to the Department. Funding for station investment can and does come from non-departmental sources. There is no obligation to inform the Department of funding generated from non-departmental sources.

Railways: South West

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what investment there has been in (a) on-board catering facilities, (b) Wi-Fi and (c) recycling facilities on the South Western Line since 2009-10.

Stephen Hammond: There is no franchise obligation within the South Western franchise with regard to on-board catering facilities. Any investment with regard to on-board catering is a commercial matter for the train operator.
	South West Trains have announced a £3.2 million project is being introduced by the South West Trains-Network Rail alliance and train manufacturer Siemens. This investment will see South West Trains’ fleet of 45 Class 444 Desiro trains fitted with Wi-Fi technology.
	Stagecoach South West Trains have committed obligations to environmental issues, including the achievement of ISO 14001 Environmental Accreditation at maintenance depots. These obligations are written into the franchise agreement, and are an ongoing annual committed obligation, which is certified eternally to ensure compliance.

Rescue Services

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the average staff vacancy rates across all coastguard coordination centres were in (a) 2008, (b) 2009, (c) 2010, (d) 2011 and (e) 2012.

Stephen Hammond: The Maritime and Coastguard Agency does not hold average staff vacancy rate across all Maritime Rescue Coordination Centres (MRCC) prior to 2010. The information for 2010 to 2012 is as follows:
	
		
			  Percentage 
			 2010 5.49 
			 2011 10.52 
			 2012 13.91

Rescue Services

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many staff of Humber Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre have transferred from the closed centre at Yarmouth to date; how many new staff have been recruited at that centre in the last 12 months; and what the current level of staffing is compared to its risk-assessed level.

Stephen Hammond: Two members of staff at Humber Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) transferred from Great Yarmouth MRCC when it closed in May 2013.
	Over the last 12 months one new member of staff has been recruited to work at Humber MRCC.
	The latest full month’s statistics on staffing against risk assessed watch levels, for September 2013, show that 34 out of 60 shifts at Humber MRCC were staffed below risk assessed levels.
	These situations are mitigated by ‘MRCC pairing’ where each MRCC is connected to at least one other MRCC which is available to provide mutual support. In respect of Humber MRCC mutual support is available through a fixed link from Thames MRCC and dial up links from the MRCCs at Shetland, Aberdeen, or Dover.

Rescue Services

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many staff have transferred to Belfast Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre from the closed centres at Clyde and Forth to date; how many new staff have been recruited at that centre in the last 12 months; and what the current level of staffing is compared to its risk-assessed level.

Stephen Hammond: Two members of staff at Belfast Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre (MRCC) transferred from Clyde MRCC when it closed in December 2012. However, one of those members of staff has since left Her Majesty’s Coastguard. No staff transferred from Forth MRCC when it closed in September 2012.
	Over the last 12 months two new members of staff have been recruited to work at Belfast MRCC.
	The latest full month’s statistics on staffing against risk assessed watch levels, for September 2013, show that 34 out of 60 shifts at Belfast MRCC were staffed below risk assessed levels.
	These situations are mitigated by ‘MRCC pairing’ where each MRCC is connected to at least one other MRCC which is available to provide mutual support. In respect of Belfast MRCC mutual support is available through a fixed link from Stornoway MRCC and dial up links from the MRCCs at Shetland, Aberdeen, Liverpool or Holyhead.

Rescue Services

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he or officials in his Department have had with (a) national officers of RNLI and (b) local committees and volunteers of RNLI on the implications of the closure of Clyde, Forth and Yarmouth centres on the RNLI's work and effectiveness.

Stephen Hammond: The programme to modernise Her Majesty’s Coastguard focuses on the co-ordination of civilian maritime search and rescue (SAR). The RNLI, like coastguard rescue teams, independent lifeboats, beach lifeguards, rescue helicopters and other rescue facilities are not affected by these changes.
	Proactive engagement with all SAR partners before the closures of the Maritime Rescue Coordination Centres at Forth, Clyde and Great Yarmouth, included stakeholder communications and briefings on the new arrangements for the RNLI at both national and divisional level.
	At a local level many RNLI crews have liaised with Watchkeepers at the MRCCs who have taken on responsibility for the former Forth, Clyde and Yarmouth areas.
	Routine long standing local liaison arrangements have also continued throughout the closure programme. For example, Rescue Coordination Centre managers have annual meetings with RNLI Lifeboat Operations managers and operational visits by RNLI inspectors to provide briefing to coastguards.

Roads: Weight Limits

Jessica Lee: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department is taking to ensure that weight restrictions on roads are being enforced by the police.

Robert Goodwill: Enforcement is a matter for the police. Policing priorities for this type of activity are local decisions for the local police, working for their communities and under the oversight of directly elected police and crime commissioners. Roads with weight restrictions usually have them because local highway authorities have put them in place and these local authorities can also seek to influence policing priorities.
	The Department does not have a direct mechanism to ensure weight restrictions on local roads are being enforced by the police.

Taxis

Angela Watkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the proposal by the Law Commission to set nationwide standards for drivers, operators and vehicles in the taxi trade.

Stephen Hammond: The Government has made no formal assessment of the Law Commission's proposals as set out in their Interim Statement of 9 April 2013. We are awaiting the Law Commission's final report before considering the recommendations in their entirety.

Trans-European Networks

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what representations he has received from the Welsh Government on the European Commission's TEN-T proposals published on 17 October 2013;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the effect of the omission of Fishguard and Holyhead ports from the TEN-T core projects;
	(3)  what assessment he has made of the effect of the omission of Valley Airport from the TEN-T comprehensive projects;
	(4)  what assessment he has made of the effect of the omission of Cardiff Airport from the TEN-T core projects.

Robert Goodwill: In October 2011 the European Commission published a set of draft regulations for TEN-T and an accompanying Financial Instrument known as the ‘Connecting Europe Facility’ (CEF). Prior to this, and throughout the subsequent negotiations, my Department worked closely with the devolved Administrations (DAs) to ensure that the UK had a co-ordinated position and to ensure that the outcome aligned as far as possible with the UK's negotiating objectives.
	In developing a planning methodology for the Comprehensive and Core networks the European Commission set thresholds for the inclusion of airports and ports as a percentage of the total EU passenger or freight traffic throughput over a three year average (2006, 2007 and 2008) as follows:
	
		
			 Percentage 
			  Comprehensive network Core network 
			 Airports   
			 Passenger 0.1 1 
			 Freight 0.2 2 
			    
			 Ports   
			 Passenger 0.1 1 
			 Freight 0.1 1 
		
	
	The Department has therefore made no assessment on what has not been included on the TEN-T network.
	The new TEN-T regulation has a degree of flexibility built into it, and will allow airports and ports which are not currently included in the Comprehensive network to be added at a later date if they meet the threshold criteria.

Tugboats

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what external or internal advice he has received on the risks posed by reliance on emergency towing vessels based outside UK waters in the event of a major pollution incident.

Stephen Hammond: I have not received any advice specific to the risk of reliance on emergency towing vessels (ETVs) based outside UK waters in the event of a major pollution incident.
	ETVs and tugs more generally would not normally play any role in dealing with the consequences of a major pollution incident.

JUSTICE

Bail

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many times an offender given a custodial sentence by (a) a magistrates' court and (b) a Crown court has been immediately granted bail pending an appeal in each of the last five years.

Jeremy Wright: The Court proceedings database is unable to identify those offenders who were sentenced to immediate custody and subsequently released on bail.
	The courts' power to grant bail pending appeal is exercised sparingly. A Crown Court judge may grant such bail only where he or she gives a certificate that the case is fit for appeal, and then only where there are exceptional circumstances, e.g. where it appears prima facie that the appeal will be successful or where the sentence will have been served by the time the appeal is heard. If bail had been granted in the face of representations from the prosecution, the prosecution right of appeal against the grant of bail would be available.

Crime: Victims

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the complaints procedure is for victims of crime where their treatment has breached the Code of Practice for Victims of Crime.

Damian Green: The new Victims' Code, which was published on 29 October, includes an improved section on the complaints process for victims.
	The new code which will be available to all victims of crime sets out the internal complaints processes for agencies under the code. It also includes three new duties on agencies to provide information in relation to complaints. Agencies must:
	Provide within 10 working days either a substantive response or an acknowledgement of the complaint setting out the likely timescales for receiving a full response, where appropriate;
	Make information about their complaints process available to victims and must signpost victims to this information proactively rather than at the request of the victim; and
	Provide information about how victims can escalate their complaint to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman if they remain dissatisfied.
	In addition to the improvements above, we are also looking to further improve local accountability and redress for victims, a commitment made in the Transforming the Criminal Justice System Strategy and Action Plan, published on 28 June.

Crime: Victims

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many complaints about breach of the Code of Practice for Victims of Crime were referred to the Parliamentary Ombudsman in each year from 2008-09 to 2012-13.

Damian Green: The number of complaints about the breach of the Code of Practice for Victims of Crime received by the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) from 2008-09 to 2012-13 is set out in the following table:
	
		
			  The number of complaints about the breach of the Victims' Code received by PHSO 
			 2008-09 18 
			 2009-10 14 
			 2010-11 13 
			 2011-12 18 
			 2012-13 13 
		
	
	Under the new Victims' Code (published 29 October), victims who are dissatisfied with the outcome of an agency's internal complaints procedure can seek further redress by complaining to the PHSO via their Member of Parliament.
	The Government is looking to improve further local accountability and redress for victims, a commitment made in the Transforming the Criminal Justice System Strategy and Action Plan, published on 28 June.

Crime: Victims

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many complaints were made to each service provider covered by the Code of Practice for Victims of Crime for breach of that code in each year from 2008-09 to 2012-13.

Damian Green: The Ministry of Justice does not hold this information centrally. Agencies with duties under the code handle complaints under their own internal complaints processes. Collection and retention of complaints data is carried out at a local level. The Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman also retains data from those complaints from victims referred to them by a Member of Parliament.
	The new Victims' Code which was published on 29 October provides victims with a clearer, better means of redress putting the onus on criminal justice agencies to proactively provide victims' with a response to their complaint. It also sets out a duty for agencies to provide victims with a mechanism to provide feedback on the service they receive.
	In addition to these improvements, the Government is looking to improve further local accountability and redress for victims, a commitment made in the Transforming the Criminal Justice System Strategy Action Plan, published on 28 June.

Crime: Victims

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what guidance his Department issues to victims of crime on how to make complaints about criminal justice agencies under the victims' code.

Damian Green: The new Victims' Code, which was published on 29 October, includes an improved section on the complaints process for victims. The new code, which will be available to all victims of crime, includes two new duties on agencies to provide information in relation to complaints. Agencies must:
	make information about their complaints process available to victims and must signpost victims to this information proactively rather than at the request of the victim; and
	provide information about how victims can escalate their complaint to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman if they remain dissatisfied.
	When the code is implemented later this year, my Department will publish guides to the code, which will include information on complaints procedures.
	In addition to these improvements, we are also looking to farther improve local accountability and redress for victims, a commitment made in the Transforming the Criminal Justice System Strategy and Action Plan, published on 28 June.

Crime: Victims

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what steps his Department takes to ensure that people with mental health problems who are victims of crime are properly supported;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the level and provision of support for people with mental health problems who are the victims of crime; and what steps he is taking to improve his Department's performance in this area;
	(3)  what assessment he has made of the implications for his Department of the 2013 report from Mind, Victim Support and others entitled At Risk, Yet Dismissed: The criminal victimisation of people with mental health problems; and if he will meet the authors of that report.

Damian Green: The Ministry of Justice welcomes the report “At risk, yet dismissed” for highlighting the support needs of people with mental health problems who are victims of crime.
	The new Victims' Code, published on 29 October 2013, provides enhanced support at every stage of the criminal justice system for people with mental health problems, including a new entitlement to ask that special measures be used in court, which the CPS will take into account when deciding whether to make an application for special measures, and information about the support that can be provided by registered intermediaries. When the new Code is implemented in December, we will publish guides to the Code for victims, including an easy-read and video summary, which will include information on special measures and support at court.
	We are providing more money than ever before to support victims of crime. Emotional and practical support for victims of crime, including those with mental health problems, is currently commissioned centrally by the Ministry of Justice, the majority provider of these support services being Victim Support. In future Police and Crime Commissioners will be responsible for commissioning the majority of support services according to local need. They are best placed to join with commissioners for health and social care locally to address support provision for people with mental heath problems who are victims of crime, as is recommended by the report.
	I have asked my officials to meet with the authors and to consider the recommendations further as we implement the new approach to commissioning services for victims and wider reforms to the criminal justice system.

Crime: Victims

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what progress he has made on implementing the requirements of the European Directive on Victims Rights by December 2015.

Damian Green: The Government is making a full assessment of the EU victims' directive prior to its implementation date in November 2015. The Government wrote to the Reducing Regulation Committee in November 2012 with an early transposition plan. A full impact assessment and transposition table will be completed closer to the implementation date. The directive will be transposed in line with domestic policy aims through changes to national law through secondary legislation and statutory codes. This includes transposing part of the directive in the new Victims' Code. Further information about how the directive is reflected in the new Victims' Code can be found in the accompanying impact assessment and Government response document:
	https://consult.justice.gov.uk/digital-communications/code-victims-crime

European Court of Justice

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the European Court of Justice; what his policy is on reform of that body; and if he will make a statement.

David Lidington: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.
	The Government considers the Court to play an important role in supporting the single market, as I outlined to the House on 11 June 2013, Official Report, columns 295-312. We have consistently supported efforts to reform the Court. In evaluating proposed reforms, the UK is keen to ensure that they promote the effective passage of justice; are based on clear evidence of need; do not place additional burdens on the EU’s budget; and are acceptable to Parliament.
	The principal challenge the Court currently faces is its significant backlog, which has an impact on the ability of British businesses to operate in the single market. Negotiations are currently ongoing to find a solution to this problem, and the UK continues to engage constructively in these discussions to find a solution acceptable to all member states.
	Several useful reforms have been recently implemented. These include increasing the number of judges in the Grand Chamber from 13 to 15; streamlining procedures by, for example, abolishing the requirement to read the “Report for the Hearing” in full; allowing for the appointment of temporary judges to the Civil Service Tribunal; and establishing a new office of Vice-President in the Court of Justice and the General Court.

Offenders: Rehabilitation

Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the current waiting time is for inmates awaiting enrolment on (a) domestic violence offender behaviour programme, (b) general offending behaviour programme, (c) sex offender behaviour programme, (d) substance misuse behaviour programme and (e) violence offender programme; and how many inmates are (i) currently undertaking and (ii) on the waiting list for each such programme.

Jeremy Wright: Data on the waiting time, number of enrolments and waiting lists for the programmes requested are not currently collected centrally and could be obtained only by a manual check with individual prisons, which would incur disproportionate cost.
	In total, there are currently over 80 prison sites running one or more of the programmes listed above at (a),(c) and (e). The substance misuse programmes are now commissioned and managed through the health service provision. We are taking steps to ensure these programmes have the maximum possible impact on reoffending. I refer the hon. Member, to the answer given on 16 October 2013, Official Report, column 785W, with reference number 168065.

Prison Service

Grahame Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice which prisons employ staff on detached duty from other prisons; and if he will make a statement.

Jeremy Wright: Information on which public sector Prison Service establishments employed staff on detached duty from other establishments or National Offender Management Service headquarters on 30 June 2013 is contained in the following list.
	Public sector Prison Service establishments where people were working on detached duty into the establishment at 30 June 2013
	Askham Grange
	Aylesbury
	Belmarsh
	Blundeston
	Brinsford
	Bristol
	Brixton
	Buckley Hall
	Bullingdon
	Bure
	Cardiff
	Channings Wood
	Coldingley
	Cookham Wood
	Dartmoor
	Deerbolt
	Dorchester
	Dover
	Downview
	Drake Hall
	Durham
	East Sutton Park
	Elmley
	Erlestoke and Shepton Mallet
	Exeter
	Featherstone
	Feltham
	Ford
	Foston Hall
	Frankland
	Full Sutton
	Garth
	Gartree
	Glen Parva
	Grendon
	Hewell
	High Down
	Highpoint
	Hindley
	Hollesley Bay
	Holloway
	Holme House
	Hull
	Isis
	Isle of Wight
	Kennet
	Kirkham
	Kirklevington Grange
	Lancaster Farms
	Leeds
	Leicester
	Leyhill
	Lincoln
	Littlehey
	Liverpool
	Long Lartin
	Low Newton
	Maidstone
	Manchester
	Morton Hall
	New Hall
	North Sea Camp
	Northallerton
	Norwich
	Nottingham
	Onley
	Pentonville
	Portland
	Preston
	Ranby
	Reading
	Risley
	Rochester
	Send
	Stafford
	Stocken
	Stoke Heath
	Styal
	Sudbury
	Swaleside
	Swansea
	Swinfen Hall
	The Verne
	Usk/Preseoed
	Wakefield
	Wandsworth
	Warren Hill
	Wayland
	Werrington
	Wetherby
	Whatton
	Whitemoor
	Winchester
	Woodhill
	Wormwood Scrubs
	Wymott.

Prisoners: Religion

Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisoners have converted to a new religious faith in each maximum security prison, by new faith group, in each year for which records are available.

Jeremy Wright: This information is not held. Consideration has been given to formally collating data on changes of religion within the high security estate, and exploratory work conducted to establish whether this is feasible, but it was concluded that this exercise would not produce useful or accurate information. It is considered that the systems currently in place, which rely on informal monitoring of conversions by Chaplaincy staff, are effective and allow prison staff to identify and work with individual prisoners.

Prisoners: Repatriation

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 17 October 2013, Official Report, column 860W, on prisoners: repatriation, who paid for each such prisoner to return to their home country.

Jeremy Wright: The National Offender Management Service is responsible for the costs involved in transporting a prisoner from prison to the point of departure from the UK. All other costs including airfares and escort costs are normally the responsibility of the state to which the prisoner is transferred. However, where transfer would otherwise not take place it is occasionally more cost-effective for the United Kingdom to pay in order to reduce the cost of ongoing detention in the UK. Pursuant to my answer of 17 October 2013, Official Report, column 860, the National Offender Management Service met the costs associated with three transfers. These were Ghana (2010), Turkey (2010), and Nigeria (2012). In all other cases the cost was met by the receiving state.

Prisoners: Young People

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what steps he is taking to prevent the grooming of young people in adult prisons;
	(2)  how many young people in each prison have been identified as at risk of (a) suicide and (b) self-harm.

Jeremy Wright: The identification of those who pose a risk to others in custody, and their safe management to prevent harm, is a core part of the work of prison staff. NOMS is committed to building on good practice in this area and is reviewing the policy and processes for the management of violence in all forms, and for all age groups, with the aim of issuing improved guidance in 2014.
	NOMS has robust policies in place to identify and protect those at risk of harm from others in custody. The Assessment, Care in Custody and Teamwork (ACCT) process adopts a multi-disciplinary approach to ensure that individualised support is provided.
	Establishments record and monitor locally the number of young offenders and prisoners supported through an ACCT plan. There is currently no ability to centrally report this information.

Prisons: Closures

Sadiq Khan: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the amount released in capital receipts through disposal of (a) HMP Blundeston, (b) HMP Reading, (c) HMP Dorchester, (d) HMP The Verne and (e) HMP Northallerton.

Jeremy Wright: HMP The Verne will be converted into an immigration removal centre. Once the prisons at Blundeston, Reading, Dorchester, and Northallerton have closed, consideration will be given to potential future uses and disposal of the sites.
	The market value of each of the sites has not been formally assessed. We seek to gain best value from the sale of all surplus assets.

Prisons: Crimes of Violence

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many violent incidents have been recorded against young people who are being held in each prison.

Jeremy Wright: Maintaining the safety of young people in custody is a priority. Establishments employ a range of strategies to maintain order, promote effective behaviour management and prevent incidents escalating to violence.
	The term 'violent incident' is not used in the data recorded by NOMS, and the closest match for this type of incident is assaults, which by definition are violent incidents, though other types of incident may also be regarded as being violent incidents. The vast majority of recorded incidents for violence in prisons are for assaults. This table shows the number of assault incidents involving young people under 21 for the year 2012. The table includes data for all young people who are held in young offender institutions (including 18-20 YOIs and under 18 YOIs), dual designated institutions for adults, and adult prisons. It does not include Secure Children's Homes and Secure Training Centres.
	
		
			 Number of assault incidents in custody involving under 21s, 2012 
			 Prison Total under 21s 
			 Altcourse 119 
			 Ashfield 586 
			 Aylesbury 83 
			 Bedford 10 
			 Belmarsh 5 
			 Brinsford 275 
			 Bristol 10 
			 Brixton 1 
			 Bronzefield 19 
			 Cardiff 2 
			 Chelmsford 52 
			 Cookham Wood 48 
			 Deerbolt 146 
			 Doncaster 155 
			 Dorchester 4 
			 Dover 1 
		
	
	
		
			 Downview 14 
			 Drake Hall 3 
			 Durham 12 
			 Eastwood Park 7 
			 Exeter 11 
			 Feltham 675 
			 Forest Bank 60 
			 Glen Parva 325 
			 Gloucester 6 
			 High Down 44 
			 Hindley 318 
			 Holloway 13 
			 Holme House 6 
			 Hull 24 
			 Isis 166 
			 Lancaster Farms 166 
			 Leicester 1 
			 Lewes 10 
			 Lincoln 7 
			 Littlehey 148 
			 Long Lartin 1 
			 Low Newton 4 
			 Moorland 8 
			 Morton Hall 2 
			 New Hall 1 
			 Northallerton 5 
			 Norwich 27 
			 Nottingham 6 
			 Pare 168 
			 Peterborough 37 
			 Portland 93 
			 Preston 11 
			 Reading 24 
			 Rochester 78 
			 Sheppey: Elmley 9 
			 Stoke Heath 45 
			 Styal 4 
			 Swansea 4 
			 Swinfen Hall 97 
			 Thameside 46 
			 Thorn Cross 3 
			 Warren Hill 291 
			 Werrington 216 
			 Wetherby 478 
			 Winchester 1 
			 Woodhill 10 
			 Private Escort Contractors 17 
			 Total 5,218

Prisons: Education

Seema Malhotra: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps he is taking to ensure young people in adult prisons receive a safe education.

Jeremy Wright: It is a priority for the National Offender Management Service to ensure that all prisoners are held safely at all times, regardless of what activity is being undertaken. This includes their time in education.
	In an adult or young adult establishment with offenders over the age of 18, Prison Officer supervisory levels are risk managed and agreed.
	The Prison Service have recently begun a programme of integration in London, whereby small numbers of young adult offenders held on remand in HMYOI Feltham have been transferred to adult male local prisons in London (Highdown, Pentonville, Wormwood Scrubs, Belmarsh and Wandsworth). This is established practice elsewhere in London as Thameside and Highdown have been holding young adults for some time. The recent integration has been co-coordinated centrally. The transfer of each prisoner has been considered on an individual basis, with a comprehensive risk assessment and in consultation with the receiving prison. In addition, any young offender who is identified as being vulnerable will not transfer into the adult estate.
	The few establishments that hold offenders aged both under 18, and 18 or over and adult, do not allow the two population types to mix. Staffing and teaching profiles are calculated separately. Education services are commissioned separately for each cohort of offenders.

Probation

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of (a) the progress of his Department's review of its contracts with G4S and Serco and (b) how that review will affect G4S and Serco's ability to bid for probation services.

Jeremy Wright: The audit of MoJ's contracts with G4S and Serco is progressing to plan. We will make an assessment of the findings once the audit work has concluded, later in the year.
	We have not at this stage excluded G4S or Serco from participating in MoJ procurement exercises. However, it is important to note that we will not be awarding new contracts to the companies unless the audit of their existing contracts is completed to our satisfaction.

Probation

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of people in (a) Doncaster, (b) South Yorkshire and (c) England breached their probation order in (i) 2012-13 and (ii) 2009-10.

Jeremy Wright: Table 1 provides the proportion of people who breached a community order or suspended sentence order in South Yorkshire Probation Trust and England for 2012-13 and 2009-10. This has been calculated by inverting the Orders or Licences Successfully completed metric that is published as part of the NOMS Annual Report Management Information Addendum, and removing those on licence to limit the data to community orders and suspended sentence orders only. Data is not available at the level required to provide this information for Doncaster and could be produced only at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			 Table 1: Proportion of people on community orders and suspended sentence orders who were breached in South Yorkshire and England in 2009-10 and 2012-13 
			 Percentage 
			  2009-10 2012-13 
			 South Yorkshire 28.7 26.3 
			 England 29.4 27.2 
		
	
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Probation: South Yorkshire

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many probation staff there were in (a) Doncaster and (b) South Yorkshire in (i) the last period date for which figures are available and (ii) May 2010.

Jeremy Wright: Information on staffing levels at probation trust level is published in the Quarterly Probation Service Workforce Information reports. The link to the reports on gov.uk is provided below:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/probation-service-workforce-quarterly-reports
	Information at sub-trust level is not published as it is not routinely collected. Figures for Doncaster are therefore provided in the following table. For (i) figures are 30 June 2013, which are the latest figures available. Figures are not available for May 2010; the figures provided for (ii) are 31 March 2010, which were the available figures at that time.
	The figures for each period are based on different criteria and so are not directly comparable (at both trust and sub-trust level). A new system for collecting probation workforce information was implemented in July 2012, which enabled improved reporting due to clarification on the funding arrangements of probation trust staff. Prior to July 2012 all probation staff were reported irrespective of whether they were funded by the probation trusts or not. Since July 2012 reported staffing levels have been based on staff that are employed and funded by the probation trusts only and for that reason will not be comparable with the figures provided for periods prior to July 2012.
	
		
			 Probation staff in post(1) in Doncaster(2), FTE 
			 Period(3) (a) Doncaster(2) 
			 (i) 30 June 2013 101.9 
			 (ii) 31 March 2010 131.3 
			 (1 )The figures in the table were provided by South Yorkshire Probation Trust and are subject to the expected level of inaccuracy inherent in any large-scale administrative system. (2 )The figures include unpaid work staff working across both Barnsley and Doncaster. For information, the unpaid work element of the figures is 18.2 FTE in June 2013 and 17.6 FTE in March 2010; this issue will only affect those figures. (3 )The figures for both periods are based on different criteria and so are not directly comparable.

Reoffenders

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent comparative assessment he has made of options currently run by police forces to reduce reoffending rates.

Damian Green: holding answer 30 October 2013
	I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Home Department.
	Police forces across England and Wales are actively involved in local integrated offender management arrangements, a collaborative approach to reduce crime and re-offending by tackling the most problematic and persistent offenders, identified by local agencies. While there is no nationally prescribed model for integrated offender management, local approaches focus on a combination of tough enforcement and rehabilitation interventions.
	In response to a recent survey of all 292 community safety partnerships across England and Wales, 181 partnerships (62%) responded, indicating that the police were actively involved in their local integrated offender management arrangements. The survey findings have been published on gov.uk.

Victim Support Schemes

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent discussions he has had with G4S on the structure of victims support.

Damian Green: There have been no such discussions.
	The Government has committed that in future, the majority of services for victims of crime will be commissioned locally, by Police and Crime Commissioners, though there will remain some services which will be commissioned nationally. This decision was announced in the Government's response to the consultation, “Getting it Right for Victims and Witnesses”.

Victim Support Schemes

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent conversations he has had with Serco on the structure of Victim Support.

Damian Green: There have been no such discussions.
	The Government has committed that in future, the majority of services for victims of crime will be commissioned locally, by Police and Crime Commissioners, though there will remain some services which will be commissioned nationally. This decision was announced in the Government's response to the consultation, “Getting it Right for Victims and Witnesses”.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Energy: Prices

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what guidance his Department has given to energy companies on changes in energy tariffs.

Michael Fallon: Ofgem, as the independent regulator of the gas and electricity markets, sets the regulatory framework for energy supply companies. Ofgem has recently introduced new conditions to companies' supply licences to implement its Retail Market Review reforms. These include rules on the structure and number of tariffs suppliers may offer and the standardisation of discounts and special offers. As part of the Retail Market Review, Ofgem undertook formal consultations, bilateral meetings and seminars with large and small suppliers, consumer groups and other interested stakeholders.

Energy: Prices

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made on the effect on over-65s on changes in energy bills following the Retail Market Review.

Michael Fallon: Following the Retail Market Review, all customers will now be on their supplier's cheapest tariff in line with their preferences and will benefit from simpler tariffs and increased competition in the market. Ofgem have estimated that the total benefit to customers could be up to £334 million.

Energy: Prices

Nia Griffith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the effect on the price of energy for energy intensive industries of policy measures including taxation, capacity and network levies, tariffs, and support mechanisms for renewables or other energy forms.

Michael Fallon: In March 2013 DECC published an assessment of the impact of climate change and energy policies on electricity and gas prices and bills in 2013, 2020 and 2030, including those faced by large energy intensive users.(1)
	(1)Note:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/estimated-impacts-of-energy-and-climate-change-policies-on-energy-prices-and-bills
	The impact of policies on energy intensive users' energy bills is complex to analyse because of the diversity of energy usage and energy prices faced by these users, as well as the different levels of cost effective energy efficiency opportunities both within and across different industrial sectors. The March report estimated that in 2013, the impact of energy and climate change policies on the average price of electricity and gas for energy intensive industries is 2% for gas and 6% to 19% for electricity.
	The Government recognises the particular competitiveness issues faced by some industries in terms of their energy costs and has acted to mitigate the impact of policies on them. Measures include:
	A £250 million package to help offset costs of the EU ETS and the Carbon Price Floor for energy intensives. BIS has received 64 applications for compensation for the indirect costs of EU ETS and paid a total of £13 million in compensation.
	Seeking to exempt energy intensives from the costs of Feed-in-Tariffs Contracts for Difference.
	Increased CCL discount on electricity for CCA participants to 90% from April 2013 and an exemption for mineralogical and metallurgical processes from April 2014.
	The figures set out above from the March report do not reflect these measures as details were not finalised at the time. However, they are expected to have a significant impact on reducing the costs of policies for eligible businesses.

Energy: Prices

Nia Griffith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what comparative analysis he has made of energy costs for (a) the UK steel industry and (b) its main international competitors.

Michael Fallon: Different steel-making processes use different fuels and have different levels of cost effective energy efficiency opportunities, so analysing energy costs for the sector is complex.
	In March 2013 DECC published an assessment of the impact of climate change and energy policies on gas and electricity prices and bills, including those faced by large energy intensive users.(1) The report did not look specifically at the steel industry but estimated that in 2013, the impact of energy and climate change policies on the average price of gas and electricity for energy intensive industries is 2% for gas and 6% to 19% for electricity. We do not produce international comparisons of energy costs for the steel industry, but we know that industrial users of energy in the UK have faced the lowest gas prices in the EU 15 since 2009 and electricity prices that are around the EU 15 median. Moreover, the Government recognises the particular competitiveness issues faced by some industries in terms of their energy costs and has acted to mitigate the impact of policies on them. Measures include:
	A £250 million package to help offset costs of the EU ETS and the Carbon Price Floor for energy intensives. BIS has received 64 applications for compensation for the indirect costs of EU ETS and paid a total of £13 million in compensation.
	Seeking to exempt energy intensives from the costs of Feed-in-Tariffs Contracts for Difference.
	Increased CCL discount on electricity for CCA participants to 90% from April 2013 and an exemption for mineralogical and metallurgical processes from April 2014.
	(1)Note:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/estimated-impacts-of-energy-and-climate-change-policies-on-energy-prices-and-bills
	The figures set out above from the March report do not reflect these measures as details were not finalised at the time. However, they are expected to have a significant impact on reducing the costs of policies for eligible businesses.

Ministerial Policy Advisers

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many officials at what grades are employed to provide direct support to special advisers in his Department.

Gregory Barker: Four junior officials at Executive Officer (EO) or Higher Executive Officer (HEO) grade currently provide administrative support to special advisers in the Department. The members of staff involved carry out other work for DECC Ministers as part of the Private Office group, so these are not all 'full time' roles.
	In line with the Special Advisor code and civil service guidance none of these staff are managed by Special Advisers.

Plutonium

David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change which (a) nuclear projects and (b) reactors used for long-term plutonium management he expects to come online in the UK in the next 20 years.

Michael Fallon: The Government's position on long term plutonium management was set out in our December 2011 consultation response. Our preferred option is to convert the plutonium into MOX fuel for use in new nuclear build reactors. Under this option, long term plutonium management is dependent on the progress of new nuclear build and therefore on future commercial negotiations with new build operators. There will be many steps to go through before we reach the point of being able to take a final decision and say how our plutonium will be managed. Only when the Government is confident that its preferred option can be implemented safely and securely, and that it is affordable, deliverable, and offers value for money, will it be in a position to proceed.

Plutonium

David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what changes his Department is making to its plans for plutonium management as part of its plans for nuclear new build.

Michael Fallon: There are no changes to plans for plutonium management as part of plans for nuclear new build. The Government's preferred option for long term plutonium management, as set out in our December 2011 consultation response, is to convert the plutonium into MOX fuel for use in new nuclear build reactors, as this is the most credible and technologically mature option for plutonium management.

Plutonium

David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many tonnes of civilian-sourced plutonium the UK has had in its possession in each of the last 10 years; what changes in this amount he anticipates; and what plans he has to deal with this stockpile.

Michael Fallon: Data on the amount of civil plutonium in the UK are published each year by the Office for Nuclear Regulation. Data on the amount of civilian plutonium as of 31 December 2013 will be published around spring 2014.
	
		
			  Tonnes 
			 2003 96.3 
			 2004 102.7 
			 2005 105.2 
			 2006 106.9 
			 2007 108.0 
			 2008 109.1 
			 2009 112.1 
			 2010 114.8 
			 2011 118.2 
			 2012 120.2 
		
	
	The amount of civil plutonium is expected to increase to about 140 tonnes by the end of reprocessing operations.
	Government's position on long-term plutonium management was set out in our December 2011 consultation response. Our preferred option to manage the plutonium is to convert it into MOX fuel for reuse in new nuclear build reactors.

HEALTH

Air Pollution

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the World Health Organisation 2013 review of evidence on health aspects of air pollution.

Jane Ellison: The Department recognises that air pollution has important effects on public health and welcomes the World Health Organisation's Review of Evidence on Health Aspects of Air Pollution (REVIHAAP). The scientific evidence now available and described in REVIHAAP provides additional support for adverse health effects associated with long- and short-term exposures to air pollutants.
	The REVIHAAP report has been used to inform the work of the Department's Expert Advisory Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants, for example, in its recent discussions of the health effects associated with different components and sources of particulate air pollution. It will also inform the prioritisation of items on the Committee's work programme and associated work at Public Health England's Centre for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards.

Alcoholic Drinks: Misuse

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Oldham East and Saddleworth of 8 October 2013, Official Report, column 85W, on alcoholic drinks: misuse, 
	(1)  what steps he is taking to encourage the industry to deliver rapid action on (a) tackling the high strength or high volume products that can cause the most harm and (b) promoting and displaying alcohol responsibly in shops;
	(2)  what steps he is taking to encourage the industry to deliver rapid action on (a) improving education around drinking and (b) supporting targeted local action.

Jane Ellison: The Government expects a plan from industry by the end of the year on how they will respond to this challenge as part of the Responsibility Deal.

Autism

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to ensure that provisions on autism are included in the mandate of Health Education England.

Daniel Poulter: Health Education England (HEE) is required to have regard to national outcomes and priorities when carrying out its core functions of workforce planning and the commissioning of education, training and development activity.
	The Government's mandate to HEE will be reviewed for 2014-15 to ensure that the objectives are current and meaningful to the needs of our health and care systems.

Autism

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether autism will be included as part of the curriculum for the proposed additional year of training for GPs.

Daniel Poulter: The content and standard of medical training is the responsibility of the General Medical Council (GMC).The GMC is an independent professional body. It has the general function of promoting high standards of medical education and co-ordinating all stages of medical education to ensure that students and newly qualified doctors are equipped with the knowledge, skills and attitudes essential for professional practice.
	The Government has mandated Health Education England (HEE) to provide national leadership on education, training and work force development in the national health service. This mandate includes a commitment that HEE will ensure that general practitioner (GP) training produces GPs with the required competencies to practise in the new NHS. Consequently, HEE will work with stakeholders to influence training curricula as appropriate.

Autism

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to ensure that Health and Wellbeing Boards are aware of the duties imposed on them by the statutory guidance issued under the provisions of the Autism Act 2009.

Norman Lamb: The second national exercise on evaluating progress in relation to the 2010 Adult Autism Strategy for England—‘Fulfilling and Rewarding Lives—and its subsequent guidance, which followed the 2009 Autism Act, has recently been undertaken by local authorities and their partners. The exercise focused on the main duties that the Act said that the guidance must cover. The Public Health England learning disabilities observatory will analyse the information submitted and an initial report and copies of all the individual returns will be available before the end of the year. Local responses should also be discussed by health and well-being boards by the end of January 2014 to support autism work and as evidence for local planning and health needs assessment strategy development.

Brain: Donors

Glyn Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what steps he is taking to encourage more people to sign up to brain donation schemes;
	(2)  if he will take steps to link the NHS organ donation scheme with selected brain donation schemes;
	(3)  what steps he is taking to ensure that hospitals and care homes sign death certificates in a timely manner to better facilitate brain donation.

Daniel Poulter: The Medical Research Council held a workshop on brain donation on 14 October 2013. The workshop aimed to address and make progress in a number of areas. In particular this meeting agreed that simply encouraging people to sign up as brain donors was no longer desirable and instead there is a need to approach people whose health and disease are carefully characterised during life about donation. These people are often part of existing population or disease focused cohorts. In order to maximise the progress researchers using brain tissue can make, they need to know all of this clinical information about the person who donated brain tissue to best understand what co-existing diseases the person had. This helps with diagnosis and is essential for delivery of real molecular pathology insights into disease.
	The NHS Organ Donor Register exists to record people's agreement to use their organs and tissue for transplantation after their death. Currently, brain donation is not included as an option on the register, and donors of brain tissue for research purposes are not routinely asked about organ donation more broadly; the NHS Organ Donor Register and brain banks fulfil different purposes. In addition, in view of the existing capacity for dealing with brain donations, and the fact that the new strategy of the UK Brain Banks Network is to focus on individuals who are well characterised in life, linkage between the NHS Organ Donor Register and brain donation schemes is not viewed as the major challenge for brain donation in the United Kingdom.
	The notes for doctors in the guidance that accompanies books of Medical Certificates of Cause of Death state that prompt and accurate certification of death is essential. Brain banks encourage patients who are on an ‘end of life care’ pathway and their families to remind their doctor that arrangements have been made for brain donation, to help avoid delays at the time of death.

Breast Cancer

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what further steps his Department is taking to help men and women suffering from breast cancer.

Jane Ellison: Since 1 April 2013, NHS England has been responsible for improving outcomes for cancer patients, including men and women with breast cancer. Our Mandate to NHS England set out an ambition to make England one of the most successful countries in Europe at preventing premature deaths from illnesses like cancer.
	In January 2011, we published “Improving Outcomes: A Strategy for Cancer”. Backed by over £750 million of funding, the strategy set out actions to tackle preventable cancer incidence; improve the quality and efficiency of cancer services; improve patients' experience of care; improve quality of life for cancer survivors; and deliver outcomes that are comparable with the best in Europe.
	In order to drive and measure priority quality improvements in a breast cancer care, in 2011 the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence published the breast cancer quality standard. This sets out for commissioners, providers and patients what high quality breast cancer services should look like.

Breast Cancer

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if his Department will hold discussions with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) to ensure that any update to the NICE guideline on early and locally advanced breast cancer: diagnosis and treatment takes account of evidence that a significant proportion of women fail to regularly take their recommended prescriptions following their initial treatment.

Norman Lamb: The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is responsible for developing independent guidance for the national health service. NICE keeps its published guidance under review to take account of the latest evidence, and any stakeholder can draw NICE's attention to new evidence that they believe it should consider.
	Alongside its clinical guideline on early and locally advanced breast cancer, published in February 2009, NICE has published a clinical guideline on medicines adherence, issued in January 2009. We understand that NICE currently plans to review the need to update both guidelines in 2015.

Breast Cancer

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions he has had with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence and NHS England on its plans to support women with breast cancer to complete their post-operative drug treatment.

Norman Lamb: Ministers have had no such discussions.
	It is important that patients take their medicines as prescribed to get the best health outcomes from them. Patients experiencing problems with their medicines are encouraged to seek advice from their healthcare, professionals or from their local community pharmacist.
	Healthcare professionals should ensure women with breast cancer are fully involved in decisions about their medicines and provided with information about how to get the best from them, including any possible side effects, taking National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance into account.

Cystic Fibrosis

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the level of (a) psychological, (b) dietary and (c) social care that cystic fibrosis patients receive.

Norman Lamb: No recent assessment has been made of the level of psychological/ dietary and social care that cystic fibrosis patients receive. Since 1 April NHS England has responsible for delivering cystic fibrosis (CF) services as part of the specialised commissioning arrangements.
	NHS England's CF Clinical Advisory Group has published service specifications for both children and adults with CF. These set out what needs be in place for providers to offer evidence-based, safe and effective services for CF patients.
	NHS England's service specifications for CF set out requirements for the provision of psychological and dietary support that CF patients should receive. While NHS England is not responsible for the provision of social care, the specification also highlights the role of social care in supporting these patients. The specifications also set out that regular audit of services will be performed and specific audits may be requested by the commissioner. Both service specifications can be found at the following link:
	www.england.nhs.uk/resources/spec-comm-resources/npc-crg/group-a/a01/
	Information on the provision of social care services is not collected on the basis of the conditions service users may be suffering from or are affected by. Councils with adult social services responsibilities are required to submit annual returns detailing the provision of social care services to Health and Social Care Information Centre. The data are only broken down according to the type of services provided, such as residential care, domiciliary care or day care.

Dietary Supplements: EU Law

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if he will seek to repatriate to the UK the EU competence in the setting of maximum permitted levels for vitamins and minerals under the provisions of Article 5 of the Food Supplements Directive;
	(2)  what recent discussions Ministers his Department have had with (a) Consumers for Health Choice and (b) the National Association of Health Stores; and what assessment he has made following such representations on the effect on Article 5 of the Food Supplements Directive on UK natural health retailers;
	(3)  what steps he intends to take to ensure that maximum permitted levels for vitamins are not set under the provisions of Article 5 of the Food Supplements Directive.

Jane Ellison: There are no current plans to seek to repatriate the European Union competence in the setting of maximum permitted levels for vitamins and minerals under the provisions of Article 5 of the food supplements directive to the United Kingdom.
	Consumers for Health Choice and the National Association of Health Stores have made representations to Health Ministers on the impact of setting maximum permitted levels on consumer choice and the specialist health food business sector. I attended and spoke at the Consumers for Health Choice parliamentary reception on 22 October 2013.
	Until further details of any future proposals are issued by the European Commission, it is not possible to anticipate the full impact that the setting of maximum levels may have on consumer choice and the health food sector, including independent health food shops.
	The Government's position is that any future decisions on vitamin and mineral food supplements need to be proportionate and based on evidence, so that consumers have confidence in what they buy, while maintaining a wide choice of safe products. Where there is clear evidence that there are no safety concerns for a vitamin or mineral then the decision might be to set no maximum level.

Disease Control

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to the publication of the Five Year Antimicrobial Resistance Strategy, whether he plans to bring forward proposals to amend or repeal Therapeutic Substances (Prevention of Misuse) Act 1953.

Jane Ellison: The Therapeutic Substances (Prevention of Misuse) Act 1953 is no longer in force. The Veterinary Medicine Regulations 2005 which control veterinary medicines and medicated feeds, classify all antibiotics authorised for use in animals as prescription only medicines.

Food: Research

David Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of recent research findings which appear to challenge its advice to eat a low-fat, high-carbohydrate diet.

Jane Ellison: Public Health England (PHE) is aware of an article recently published in the British Medical Journal disputing government advice to consume a diet which is low in saturated fat. The article provides a brief commentary on the issue but is based on a limited evidence base.
	PHE's dietary advice is based on a wide range of evidence which consistently shows that reducing the amount of saturated fat in the diet decreases blood cholesterol which in turn lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease. PHE will not be changing its advice based on this article.

Health Services: Disability

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to improve future care provision for deafblind people; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Lamb: The Care Bill will reform the care and support system, and will improve future care provision for deafblind people.
	The Bill has been co-produced with a wide range of stakeholders, including people with sensory impairments. Following consultation, the Government included a requirement on local authorities to make information and advice accessible and proportionate to whomever needs it, including those with sensory impairments.
	There is also a new duty to provide independent advocacy to the people who need it most, so that they can be fully involved in the assessment and care planning processes rather than simply being told what is best for them by the state.
	Personal budgets will enable people to purchase the care and support they want to meet their needs. This is combined with the new duty to ensure the diversity and quality of local services so that people are able to exercise choice.
	Implementation of the reforms in the Bill will include the production of statutory guidance, and this will help ensure newly registered people with sight impairments, including those who are deafblind, can get access to the support they need.
	We will continue to work very closely with representative organisations, such as Sense and the Royal National Institute for the Blind, to ensure that our reforms address the needs of deafblind people using care and support.

Health Visitors

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many health visitor weight tests were conducted on two year-olds in England in the six months from April 2013; and what the (a) take-up rate of and (b) reasons given for not taking up such tests were in that period.

Daniel Poulter: This information is not held centrally.
	The Healthy Child Programme is the key universal public health service for improving the health and well being of children, through health and development reviews, health promotion, parenting support, screening and immunisation programmes.
	Measuring and assessing the growth of young children is included in the Healthy Child Programme at a number of stages including at two to two and a half years if there is parental or professional concern about a child's growth or risk to normal growth (including obesity).
	The Healthy Child Programme is a multi-faceted, universal service and as such should be offered to all children.

In Vitro Fertilisation

Caroline Dinenage: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether Monitor and NHS England are planning to develop a national tariff for IVF treatment.

Jane Ellison: NHS England has advised that there are currently no plans to develop a national tariff for in vitro fertilisation services. However, NHS England and Monitor are jointly working on plans for the future development of pricing across the national health service and will be engaging with a wide range of stakeholders in the course of the work.

Jimmy Savile

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what inquiries are currently running in relation to the Jimmy Savile sexual abuse allegations; and when they expect to report.

Norman Lamb: There are currently 13 investigations in progress relating to the following national health service hospitals:
	(1) Leeds General Infirmary (including St James's Hospital as it is part of the same trust as LGI)
	(2) Stoke Mandeville Hospital
	(3) Broadmoor Hospital
	(4) High Royds Psychiatric Hospital
	(5) Dewsbury Hospital
	(6) Great Ormond Street Hospital
	(7) Moss Side Hospital (previously part of Ashworth Hospital)
	(8) Exeter Hospital
	(9) Portsmouth Hospital
	(10) St Catherine's Hospital Birkenhead
	(11) Cardiff Royal Infirmary
	(12) Rampton Hospital
	(13) Saxondale Hospital.
	An investigation has also been commissioned by Sue Ryder in relation to Wheatfields Hospice in Leeds.
	The final reports of all the investigations will now aim to be completed by June 2014, with publication sooner if that is possible.

Liver Diseases

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he plans to publish the National Liver Disease Outcomes Strategy.

Jane Ellison: Responsibility for determining the overall national approach to improving clinical outcomes from healthcare services lies with NHS England.
	NHS England advises that it is adopting a broad strategy for delivering improvements in relation to premature mortality. It is working with commissioners and Public Health England to support clinical commissioning groups to understand where local challenges lie and to identify the evidence in relation to the priorities for reducing mortality at a national level. It is generally avoiding trying to work in a condition specific way and has no plans to produce a liver specific strategy.

Maternity Services

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects full implementation of the Maternity and Children's Data Set to be completed.

Daniel Poulter: The Maternity and Children's Dataset has three components: the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services data set (CAMHS); the Children and Young People's Health Services data set (CYPHS); and, the Maternity data set.
	The collection of the CAMHS dataset has been mandatory since 1 April 2013 for all providers of national health service-funded child and adolescent mental health services. Providers will be expected to extract data and enable electronic file submissions to the Health and Social. Care Information Centre from spring 2014.
	The collection of the CYPHS data set has been mandated locally since May 2012, Providers will shortly be mandated to flow the data to the Health and Social Care Information Centre. A six month implementation period will be permitted so it is anticipated that the providers will begin to submit data to the Health and Social Care Information Centre in summer 2014.
	The Maternity data set applies to all NHS-commissioned maternity services in England who have electronic data collection systems, including acute trusts, foundation trusts and private services commissioned by the NHS. The maternity care pathway covers antenatal, intrapartum and postnatal/postpartum episodes. The collection of the Maternity dataset has also been mandated locally since May 2012. The time scales for submission of this dataset to the Health and Social Care Information Centre are in the process of being finalised and will be communicated by the end of the year.
	Further details can be found on the Health and Social Care Information Centre's website:
	www.hscic.gov.uk/maternityandchildren

Mental Health

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many (a) male adults, (b) female adults and (c) children have been diagnosed with depression in each of the last 10 months;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the effect of a drop in living standards on mental health and wellbeing.

Norman Lamb: While we have not made an assessment of the effect a perceived drop in living standards on mental health and wellbeing, a number of recent publications consider the effect of the recent economic recession on the mental wellbeing of the population. The Office for National Statistics Survey, “Analysis of Experimental Subjective Well-being Data from the Annual Population Survey, April to September 2011” presents initial estimates of subjective well-being from six months of the Annual Population Survey (APS) carried out between April and September 2011. The survey asks four questions about wellbeing and the results of this can be found in, “Analysis of Experimental Subjective Well-being Data from the Annual Population Survey, April to September 2011” P, a copy of which has been placed in the Library.
	The “Health and the 2008 Economic Recession: Evidence from the United Kingdom Force” Survey looked at the economic downturn and its impact on health status. The survey was published in 2013 and found that about 6% more people reported poor health in 2010 compared with 2008. However, it found no increase in depression or mental illness. The increase in poor health was reported across all socioeconomic groups and occupations. A copy of the survey has been placed in the Library.
	The study “The Mental Health Consequences of the Recession: Economic Hardship and Employment of People with Mental Health Problems in 27 European Countries”, published in 2013, studied the impact of economic recession on people with mental health problems. It studied the impact of the recent economic recession on unemployment rates in people with mental health problems. A copy of the survey has been placed in the Library.
	Action to combat economic exclusion and to promote social participation of individuals with mental health problems is even more important during times of economic challenge, and these efforts should target support to the most vulnerable groups.
	The data on diagnoses of depression are not available in the format that has been requested. However, the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) provides annual data from general practitioner (GP) practices on the prevalence of unresolved depression in patients aged 18 or over.
	The following table shows the list size (the numbers of people registered with a GP) as at 31 March 2013, the number of participating GP practices, the number of patients on the depression register as at 31 March and the prevalence that this represents.
	
		
			 Prevalence of depression in adults in England 
			 31 March 2013  
			 Estimated GP list size for adults 18+ 44,238,483 
			 Practices taking part in QOF 8,020 
			 Depression register for adults 18+(1) 2,582,233 
			 Depression prevalence for adults 18+ (%) 5.84 
			 (1 )Patients on the depression register are adults who have been diagnosed with depression since 1 April 2006, and for whom the condition remains unresolved.

Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust Public Inquiry

Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he plans to publish a response to the recommendations of the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust Public Inquiry.

Daniel Poulter: In March 2013 the Government published its initial response to the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust Public Inquiry, ‘Patients First and Foremost’, a collective response from England's health and care system with a shared statement of common purpose. The Government will publish its further response this autumn.

Mortuaries

Glyn Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure that mortuaries are fully staffed at all times.

Jane Ellison: Staffing mortuaries appropriately is a matter for either the relevant local authority or the national health service, depending on who manages the mortuary.

NHS: ICT

Virendra Sharma: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what key milestones his Department has set for the allocation of the £100 million fund for nursing and midwifery technology announced on 8 October 2012; and what progress his Department has made on such allocation;
	(2)  which individuals and organisations are members of the project committee for the £100 million fund for nursing and midwifery technology announced on 8 October 2012; and on what dates this committee has met;
	(3)  which external stakeholders and NHS bodies have been consulted during the development of plans for the £100 million fund for nursing and midwifery technology announced on 8 October 2012.

Daniel Poulter: The £100 million Nursing and Midwifery Technology Fund is designed to ensure that nurses and midwives have access to technology that will allow them to have more time to spend with patients and which will support the transformation of key services such as those delivered in the community. Our objective is to launch the fund in this quarter of this financial year, with £30 million earmarked this year for those trusts which are able to utilise and expand on existing technology arrangements to support nurses and midwives in their work. A second stage will make a further £70 million available in the 2014-15 financial year.
	The work of the fund is being managed through a Delivery Board, consisting of officials from the Department of Health, NHS England, Health and Social Care Information Centre and NHS officials. There is significant nursing and information technology expertise represented on the Delivery Board. It has met five times since it was established, on 7 August, 11 September, 2 October, 15 October and 30 October 2013.
	To oversee delivery, a new Programme Board has been established. It met on 18 October 2013. It has the following membership:
	Director General, Informatics and Group Operations Directorate, Department of Health;
	Director, Partnerships and Information Directorate, Department of Health;
	Director, Group Financial Management, Department of Health;
	Director of Nursing, Department of Health;
	Chief Nursing Officer for England, NHS England; and
	Director of Strategic Systems and Technology, NHS England.
	Nursing and midwifery engagement is at the heart of the fund's work. As well as senior nursing representation on both the Delivery Board and Programme Board, a nursing stakeholder forum has been set up. The Stakeholder Forum was established in order to review the objectives and processes being developed for the fund and will also provide leadership, advice and support on the fund's allocation process. Membership includes nursing representatives from NHS England's Regional and Area Teams, as well as clinical commissioning groups.

NHS: Recruitment

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which headhunters his Department use for NHS vacancies; and how much money was paid to such firms in (a) 2011, (b) 2012 and (c) 2013.

Daniel Poulter: For appointments for which the Secretary of State has responsibility the Department has used two executive search agencies, Russell Reynolds Associates and Saxton Bampfylde. Expenditure for each of the three years as follows. It covers recruitment to chair, non-executive and the most senior executive roles in the Department's arm's length bodies, including both NHS and related health and care organisations.
	2011: £120,000 (Russell Reynolds Associates)
	2012: £445,500 (Russell Reynolds Associates)
	2013: £399,000 (Russell Reynolds Associates)
	2013: £14,000 (Saxton Bampfylde).

NICE

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what recent discussions he has had with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence on how it reviews and reports on the implementation of its guidelines, and on how frequently it reviews its guidelines;
	(2)  what discussions he has had with the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence on its plans to monitor the implementation of the breast cancer familial guideline.

Norman Lamb: Ministers have had no such recent discussions. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) is an independent body and is responsible for ensuring that its guidance is periodically reviewed and, where necessary, updated to ensure that it reflects the latest available evidence. NICE does not routinely monitor the uptake or implementation of guidance by national health service organisations.

Orthopaedics: Footwear

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to allow people to obtain repeat orthopaedic shoes from consultants without the need for orthotic referral by GPs; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Lamb: Clinical commission groups (CCGs) are responsible for commissioning orthotic services locally. Referrals for orthotics (footwear or otherwise) can be made by a consultant or a general practitioner. Arrangements for self-referral for repeat footwear depend on the local commissioning arrangements.

Radiotherapy

Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to his Department's announcement of 8 October 2012, what discussions his Department has had with NHS England to ensure that there is sufficient investment in intensity modulated radiotherapy technology to guarantee access to innovative radiotherapy where clinically appropriate safe and cost effective.

Jane Ellison: Since 1 April 2013, radiotherapy treatment has been planned and paid for nationally by NHS England. This means for the first time, cancer patients will be considered for the most appropriate radiotherapy treatment regardless of where they live, guaranteeing access to innovative radiotherapy where clinically appropriate, safe and cost effective.
	The Government invested £23 million aimed at increasing the capacity of radiotherapy centres in England to deliver Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT) so that it can be offered to all patients who might benefit from April 2013.
	This funding brought the Government's additional investment in radiotherapy over the spending review period to £173 million and resulted in a significant increase in IMRT activity.
	NHS England will continue to monitor progress and local action plans closely, updating the Department as appropriate.

School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has made an assessment of the potential effect on public health of the withdrawal of free school fruit schemes by certain local authorities.

Jane Ellison: The Government is focused on preventing and tackling health inequalities. Reduction of early death from chronic diseases, such as cancer and coronary heart disease is high on the agenda with poor nutrition as a key factor in their prevention. As part of this strategy, the Government has developed a Five-a-Day Programme.
	The School Fruit and Vegetable Scheme (SFVS) is a key strand in this programme. All four to six-year-old children in fully state funded infant, primary and special schools throughout England are eligible to receive a free piece of fruit or vegetable every school day. The scheme not only provides children with one of their five a day portion but also helps to increase the awareness of the importance of eating fruit and vegetables, encouraging healthy eating habits that can be carried into later life.
	Withdrawal of the SFVS locally may mean the affected children no longer receive these health benefits.
	Take up of the schemes among eligible schools is 99% and over 2 million children are now receiving a free piece of fruit or vegetable every school day.

School Milk

Pat Glass: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the capability of childcare providers to store and serve milk other than in single-serve measures.

Daniel Poulter: To explore the potential impact of the proposed changes on child care providers, in parallel with the Nursery Milk consultation, the Department asked all child care providers currently registered with the Nursery Milk Scheme to complete a simple survey about how the scheme works for them and how potential changes might affect them and the children they care for. This included specific questions about packaging and individual portions of milk.
	The Department is conducting a comprehensive analysis of all the responses to the survey of child care providers.

Skin Piercing: Children

Mark Tami: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance his Department issues on what proof of consent of a parent or legal guardian should be required for the purpose of body piercings on a minor.

Jane Ellison: The Department's primary interest in respect of body piercing is in the issue of infection control and the avoidance of harm. In July 2013 Public Health England (PHE) published guidance together with the Chartered Institute for Environmental Health, the Health and Safety Laboratory, and the Tattoo and Piercing Industry Union in July 2013, “Tattooing and body piercing guidance: Toolkit”. This makes it clear that there is no statutory minimum age of consent for ear or body piercing, and includes advice on consent issues, including documentation of consent, and recommends that in the case of body piercing of minors they should have a parent or other responsible adult present when aftercare advice is given. A copy of the guidance has been placed in the Library, and can be accessed via a PHE press release at:
	www.gov.uk/government/news/phe-supports-new-tattooing-and-body-piercing-guidance

Social Services

Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in each local authority have accessed funding for social care in the last three years; and how many such claimants were asked to provide a third party top up fee.

Norman Lamb: In financial year 2012-13, 583,735 older people received funding from their local authority for social care. The Department does not monitor the data by local authority area, nor the number who provide a third party top up fee.
	However, Laing and Buisson report that in 2012, over 40,000 residents provided third party top ups (Care of Elderly People, UK Market Survey 2012-13).

Social Services

Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent assessment he has made of the implementation of the guidance on the control, issuing, monitoring and recording of third party top up fees for local authority funded social care placements; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Lamb: Guidance on the use of third party top up fees for local authority funded social care placements is contained in Section 11 of Charging for Residential Accommodation Guide (CRAG) in support of the National Assistance (Assessment of Resources) Regulations 1992 (S.I. 1992/2977).
	The implementation of this and other statutory guidance is a responsibility for local authorities. The Department does not performance manage or monitor local authorities control and recording of third party top up fees for local authority social care placements.

Tobacco: EU Law

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish the Government's full negotiating position on all Articles included in the revisions of the EU Tobacco Products Directive proposed by the European Commission.

Jane Ellison: The United Kingdom Government welcomed the intention behind the European Commission's proposal, published in December 2012, to revise the directive; namely to improve the functioning of the European Union market in tobacco products and thereby protect health, particularly children's, from the harms of tobacco.
	We have been working to ensure a final text which best meets the UK's public health objectives while remaining evidence-based and proportionate. This has been reflected by our correspondence with, and during oral evidence to, the two parliamentary EU scrutiny committees.
	It would not help to secure the UK's objectives for the Government to make public its detailed negotiating position on the tobacco products directive, particularly while negotiations with other member states, the European Parliament and the European Commission are continuing.

Tobacco: EU Law

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations the Government has made to the European Commission on negotiations on the final text for the revised Tobacco Products Directive.

Jane Ellison: Following the European Parliament plenary vote on the Tobacco Products Directive on 8 October, 'trilogue' negotiations between European Union member states, the European Parliament and the European Commission have commenced with the aim of agreeing a final text. The United Kingdom is playing an active role in formal working group discussions with other member states in order to give the current EU presidency, Lithuania, a mandate to take to its trilogue discussions with the Parliament and the Commission.

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

Apprentices

Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what impact assessments his Department carried out at the start of its apprenticeship scheme.

Matthew Hancock: A full impact assessment of Apprenticeships Review Policies, including the creation of the National Apprenticeship Service, was carried out and published in July 2008. A further Apprenticeship Growth Review Equality impact assessment was published in November 2011.

Apprentices: Pay

Simon Hart: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many recent representations he has received on the issue of pay for apprentices; and from whom each such representation was received.

Matthew Hancock: According to central records the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, the right hon. Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable), has not recently received any representations on the issue of pay for apprentices.

Business: Closures

Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many businesses ceased trading in each (a) parliamentary constituency and (b) region of the UK in each month since January 2008.

Jo Swinson: Official statistics covering corporate insolvencies for England and Wales are not currently available at sub-national level. While individual insolvency statistics are available down to the level of Westminster parliamentary constituencies, these are only compiled on an annual basis and they do not separately identify business failures.
	Quarterly totals for corporate insolvencies in England and Wales are presented in the Quarterly Insolvency Statistics, the latest publication of which can be found on the Insolvency Service website at:
	http://www.insolvencydirect.bis.gov.uk/otherinformation/statistics/insolvency-statistics.htm
	Regional individual insolvency statistics down to Westminster parliamentary constituency level, annually from 2000 to 2011, have been placed in the Libraries of the House. An update to these statistics covering 2012 will be published in December 2013 on the Insolvency Service website at:
	http://www.insolvencydirect.bis.gov.uk/otherinformation/statistics/regionalstatisticsmenu.htm

Employment Appeal Tribunal

Ian Murray: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills for what reasons no representative of his Department attended the Employment Appeal Tribunal hearing in relation to Usdaw v. Woolworths on 1 July 2013.

Jo Swinson: The Department did not make representations at the Employment Appeal Tribunal hearing on 1 July 2013 as the Department is not in a position to know the extent to which the company consulted with employees.

EU External Trade: Canada

Iain McKenzie: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the potential effects of the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement between the EU and Canada on (a) Scotland and (b) Inverclyde constituency; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Fallon: holding answer 1 November 2013
	The Department's economic analysis of the likely UK-wide impacts shows that the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement could be worth up to £1.3 billion annually to the UK economy. Given the comprehensive nature of the trade agreement, the benefits for the Scottish and the constituency economy are likely to be proportionate to the UK-wide figure.

Higher Education: EU Grants and Loans

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much income from EU institutions each UK university received (a) in 2010-11, (b) in 2011-12 and (c) in 2012-13, and is expected to receive in 2013-14; what the regional distribution of such funding is; and if he will make a statement.

David Willetts: The Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) collects and publishes data on the finances of higher education institutions (HEIs) in the United Kingdom.
	The most up to date information on the income received through research grants and contracts from EU sources in the academic years 2010/11 and 2011/12 by individual HEI and region of HEI will be placed in the Libraries of the House. Information on income from other EU sources is not available. Definitions on the sources of EU income to UK HEIs can be found at the following link:
	http://www.hesa.ac.uk/content/view/2868/278/#oth
	Finance data for the academic year 2012/13 will become available from the Higher Education Statistics Agency in March 2014. Projections for future income from EU sources is not available.

CABINET OFFICE

Business

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many empty Government-owned properties have been made available to entrepreneurs to date.

Francis Maude: The Space for Growth initiative has made around 1,600 workstation spaces available to entrepreneurs.

Cybercrime

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  what recent assessment he has made of the level of security from cyber-attack of industrial control systems used by critical national infrastructure operators;
	(2)  when he expects the UK Computer Emergency Response Team to be fully operational; and if he will make a statement.

Francis Maude: In the National Cyber Security Strategy we committed to bolstering defences in our critical national infrastructure (CNI) against cyber attack. Through our investment in the Centre for the Protection of National Infrastructure and GCHQ, as well as lead Government Departments, we are supporting CNI companies to identify and address the cyber risks they face, including improving the security of critical industrial control systems.
	The current focus for the establishment of the new national Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) is on securing appropriate accommodation, technology and staff, with the aim that it will become operational early next year.
	The new CERT will build on and enhance the existing CERT capability that is in place for government, CNI and our defence forces.

Dove Trust

Alec Shelbrooke: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what discussions his Department has had with the Dove Trust since administration proceedings were started against CharityGiving.

Nick Hurd: The Department has had no discussions with the Dove Trust regarding the problems surrounding the Charity Giving website. This issue falls within the remit of the Charity Commission; the charity is subject to a statutory inquiry and an interim manager has been appointed to take control of the charity's affairs.
	The interim manager is providing regular updates on the Charity Giving website with the necessary information for donors, charities and fundraisers.

Employment

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  how many people between the age of 25 and 40 have entered work in each of the last three years;
	(2)  how many people over the age of 40 have entered work in each of the last three years;
	(3)  how many people under the age of 25 have entered work in each of the last three years.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Director, Chief Economic Advisor, dated November 2013
	On behalf of the Director General for the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions:
	(a) how many people between the age of 25 and 40 have entered work in each of the last three years. 173211
	(b) how many people over the age of 40 have entered work in each of the last three years. 173213
	(c) how many people under the age of 25 have entered work in each of the last three years. 173214
	Information regarding the number of people who have entered work is not available for the age groups. As an alternative, using the ONS' Labour Force Survey, estimates relating to the net change in the number of people in employment for the requested age groups have been provided.
	
		
			 Level and annual change of people in employment, by age April to June, each year UK, not seasonally adjusted 
			 Thousand 
			  16-24 25-40 41 and over 
			  Level Annual change Level Annual change Level Annual change 
			 2010 3,718 — 10,351 — 14,831 — 
			 2011 3,673 -45 10,501 150 14,983 152 
			 2012 3,640 -33 10,508 7 15,266 283 
			 2013 3,525 -115 10,747 239 15,449 183 
			 Source: Labour Force Survey (LFS)

Employment

Stephen Timms: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the current employment rate is among (a) all people, (b) young people, (c) women, (d) over 50s, (e) parents, (f) lone parents and (g) ethnic minorities; and what each such rate was in May 2010.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Glen Watson, dated November 2013
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the current employment rate among (a) all people, (b) young people, (c) women, (d) over 50s, (e) parents, (f) lone parents and (g) ethnic minorities; and what each such rate was in May 2010. 173726
	The table compares the latest available estimates of employment rates for the requested categories with those at May 2010. These are derived from ONS's Labour Force Survey. Since this is a three-monthly survey, the reference period April-June 2010 has been used to provide May 2010 estimates.
	
		
			 Category Latest available rate Rate at May 2010 
			 All 16+ 58.6 58.2 
			 16-24 49.9 51.5 
			 Females 53.4 52.9 
			 50+ 39.6 38.4 
			 Parents 78.4 76.9 
			 Lone Parents 60.2 57.2 
			 Ethnic Minorities 55.4 55.8 
		
	
	Please note the latest available period for the categories: parents, lone parents and ethnic minorities is April-June 2013. Other Categories are based on June-August 2013. Parents and lone parents rates are based on parents aged 16 to 64 with dependent children. Dependent children are children under 16 and those aged 16 to 18 who are never-married and in full-time education.

Exports

Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office which countries had the fastest rate of growth in consumption of UK exports of (a) goods and (b) services in each of the last five years.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Glen Watson, dated November 2013
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking which countries had the fastest rate of growth in consumption of UK exports of (a) goods and (b) services in each of the last five years.
	The five countries with the largest percentage growth in each year from 2008 to 2012 for UK exports of goods and services are shown in table 1. These rankings are based on percentage growth, which can be influenced by the level of exports e.g. an increase from £1 million to £2million will show an increase of 100 per cent, despite the level remaining low.
	Therefore table 2 has also been included, which shows the five countries with the largest growth in exports in term of value, which you may also find useful.
	These are based on estimates from tables 9.4 and 9.5 of the UK Balance of Payments Pink Book, which can be found at the link below.
	http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/bop/united-kingdom-balance-of-payments/2013/index.html
	
		
			 Table 1: Countries with largest percentage growth in UK exports in each year, 2008 to 2012 
			 UK export of goods UK export of services 
			 Country Value (£ million) Growth (Percentage) Country Value (£ million) Growth (Percentage) 
			 2008   2008   
			 Liechtenstein 9 200.0 Albania 30 172.7 
			 Other Europe(1) 563 91.5 Lithuania 277 125.2 
			 Uruguay 65 80.6 Slovakia 309 113.1 
			 Morocco 513 63.9 Philippines 245 89.9 
			 Other North Africa 809 59.9 China 2,558 63.0 
			       
			 2009   2009   
			 Chile 513 94.3 Montenegro 14 250.0 
			 Thailand 909 20.6 Serbia 60 71.4 
			 Other North Africa(2) 957 18.3 Morocco 170 61.9 
			 Other Asia(3) 978 15.9 Malta 281 44.8 
			 Cyprus 619 15.3 Thailand 507 38.1 
			       
			 2010   2010   
			 Liechtenstein 25 400.0 Venezuela 395 255.9 
			 Morocco 564 81.4 Belarus 10 150.0 
			 Other Americas(4) 394 68.4 Colombia 257 86.2 
			 Other Europe 810 59.4 Estonia 80 81.8 
			 Latvia 167 53.2 Taiwan 1,186 73.9 
			       
			 2011   2011   
			 Montenegro 8 100.0 Albania 524 4,663.6 
			 Uruguay 121 53.2 Montenegro 33 175.0 
			 Indonesia 671 46.2 Lithuania 180 85.6 
			 Estonia 278 44.0 Slovakia 506 76.3 
			 Latvia 236 41.3 Serbia 84 55.6 
			       
			 2012   2012   
			 South Korea 4,919 83.5 Uruguay 45 80.0 
		
	
	
		
			 Thailand 2,002 41.9 Saudi Arabia 4,408 64.0 
			 Lithuania 380 41.3 Iceland 186 24.8 
			 Other Americas 655 37.3 Estonia 80 21.2 
			 Iceland 190 27.5 Serbia 100 19.0 
			 (1)Other Europe: Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Guernsey, Holy See, Isle of Man, Jersey, Macedonia, Moldova, San Marino. (2)Other North Africa: Algeria, Libya, Tunisia. (3)Other Asia: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Brunei Darussalam, Myanmar, Cambodia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Macao, Maldives, Mongolia, Nepal, North Korea, Sri Lanka, Timor-Leste, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Vietnam. (4)Other Americas: Bolivia, Ecuador, Falkland Islands, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname. Source: ONS. 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2: Countries with largest growth in UKexports in each year, 2008 to 2012 
			 UK export of goods UK export of services 
			 Country Value (£ million) Growth (Percentage) Country Value (£ million) Growth (Percentage) 
			 2008   2008   
			 Netherlands 19,906 4,847 France 10,248 1,617 
			 Germany 27,939 3,301 USA 38,141 1,393 
			 USA 35,175 3,201 Netherlands 10,114 1,314 
			 Belgium 13,420 1,614 Other Europe(3) 4,966 1,295 
			 Residual Gulf Arabian countries(1) 6,013 1,518 Germany 12,135 1,064 
			       
			 2009   2009   
			 China 5,383 344 Switzerland 7,888 521 
			 Chile 513 249 Denmark 2,910 444 
			 Thailand 909 155 Italy 5,228 418 
			 Saudi Arabia 2,356 150 Singapore 4,032 365 
			 Singapore 2,949 150 Other Africa 3,733 321 
			       
			 2010   2010   
			 USA 37,898 4,048 USA 39,648 3,114 
			 Germany 27,842 3,587 Switzerland 9,066 1,178 
			 Netherlands 21,196 3,004 Australia 5,414 811 
			 Belgium 13,341 2,464 Saudi Arabia 3,182 759 
			 China 7,602 2,219 Netherlands 10,082 744 
			       
			 2011   2011   
			 Germany 32,501 4,659 USA 41,686 2,038 
			 France 21,959 2,782 Other Africa 4,780 708 
			 Belgium 15,951 2,610 Japan 5,169 619 
			 Netherlands 23,525 2,329 France 9,684 585 
			 JSA 39,776 1,878 Russia 2,198 530 
			       
			 2012   2012   
			 South Korea 4,919 2,239 Saudi Arabia 4,408 1,721 
			 Switzerland 6,778 1,327 USA 42,994 1,308 
			 USA 41,089 1,313 Other Europe 3,875 444 
			 Other Africa(2) 6,854 1,270 Ireland 9,554 429 
			 China 10,542 1,269 Spain 5,692 292 
			 (1)Residual Gulf Arabian countries: Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Yemen. (2)Other Africa: All African countries except Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Africa, Tunisia. (3)Other Europe: Andorra, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Guernsey, Holy See, Isle of Man, Jersey, Macedonia, Moldova, San Marino. Source: ONS.

Graduates: Employment

Nigel Evans: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many graduates have successfully applied for a paid job within one year after leaving university in (a) Lancashire and (b) the UK in the last five years.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Director, Chief Economic Advisor
	On behalf of the Director General for the Office for National Statistics (ONS), I have been asked to reply to your Parliamentary Question asking the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many graduates have successfully applied for a paid job within one year after leaving university in (a) Lancashire and (b) the UK in the last five years. (173583)
	Unfortunately, due to small sample sizes, the requested information is not available for Lancashire. But the attached table shows the number of graduates who were in employment within one year of completing full-time education for the North West, the closest available geography to Lancashire, and the UK, according to survey responses from the Annual Population Survey (APS) for the 12 month periods ending in December from 2008 to 2012.
	As with any sample survey, estimates from the APS are subject to a margin of uncertainty. A guide to the quality of the estimates is given in the table.
	National and local area estimates for many labour market statistics, including employment, unemployment and claimant count are available on the NOMIS website at:
	http://www.nomisweb.co.uk
	
		
			 Number of graduates who were in employment within one year(1) of completing full-time education 
			 Thousand 
			  North West UK 
			 12 months ending December:   
			 2008 32 303 
			 2009 33 290 
			 2010 37 307 
			 2011 35 337 
			 2012(2) **42 *360 
			 (1) Number of people who were in employment, had completed a degree and had left full-time education within the past year. (2) Coefficient of Variation has been calculated for the latest period as an indication of the quality of the estimates. Guide to Quality: The Coefficient of Variation (CV) indicates the quality of an estimate, the smaller the CV value the higher the quality. The true value is likely to lie within +/- twice the CV—for example, for an estimate of 200 with a CV of 5% we would expect the population total to be within the range 180-220. Key: * 0 ≤ CV<5%—Statistical Robustness: Estimates are considered precise ** 5 ≤ CV <10%—Statistical Robustness: Estimates are considered reasonably precise *** 10 ≤ CV <20%—Statistical Robustness: Estimates are considered acceptable **** CV ≥ 20%—Statistical Robustness: Estimates are considered too unreliable for practical purposes CV = Coefficient of Variation Source: Annual Population Survey.

Infant Mortality

Tim Loughton: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many children under one year have died suddenly in each of the last 10 years; and what reasons have been attributed to these deaths.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Glen Watson, dated November 2013
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many children under one year have died suddenly in each of the last ten years, and what reasons have been attributed to these deaths. [173846].
	Table 1 provides the number of infant deaths where the underlying cause was unexplained in each year from 2004 to 2011 (the only years for which this breakdown is available). Unexplained infant deaths are those where sudden infant death was mentioned on the death certificate, and those for which the cause remains unascertained after a full investigation. Figures for unexplained deaths in infancy in England and Wales are published annually on the ONS website:
	http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/child-health/unexplained-deaths-in-infancy--england-and-wales/2011/stb---unexplained-deaths-in-infancy--england-and-wales--2011.html
	More broadly, unexpected infant deaths can be defined as deaths which were certified by a coroner. Table 2 provides the number of neonatal (under 28 days) and postneonatal (between 28 days and one year) deaths certified by a coroner, by ONS cause group, in each year from 2002 to 2011. Further information about how infant deaths are certified is available in the Child Mortality Statistics Metadata report on the ONS website:
	http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/guide-method/user-guidance/health-and-life-events/child-mortality-statistics-metadata.pdf
	Postneonatal deaths are also coded using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10). Table 3 (following) provides the number of postneonatal deaths certified by a coroner, by broad underlying cause group, in each year from 2002 to 2011.
	Figures for childhood, infant and perinatal (stillbirths and deaths under seven days) mortality are published annually on the ONS website at:
	http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/vsob1/child-mortality-statistics--childhood--infant-and-perinatal/index.html
	
		
			 Table 1: Number of unexplained deaths of infants in England and Wales born in each year from 2004 to 2011(1,2) 
			 Year of birth Sudden infant deaths Unascertained deaths All unexplained infant deaths 
			 2004 207 110 317 
			 2005 223 102 325 
			 2006 184 101 285 
			 2007 198 75 273 
			 2008 186 101 287 
			 2009 187 96 283 
			 2010 161 100 261 
			 2011(3) 167 77 244 
			 (1) Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10). Sudden infant deaths are deaths where there was any mention of code R.95, sudden infant death syndrome, on the death certificate. Unascertained infant deaths are deaths where code R99, other ill-defined and unspecified causes of mortality, was the only code on the death certificate. Unexplained infant deaths are the sum of sudden infant deaths and unascertained infant deaths. (2) Unexplained infant deaths are reported as a birth cohort. These deaths are of babies born in each calendar year, who subsequently died before their first birthday. (3) Figures for 2011 are provisional. 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2: Number of neonatal and postneonatal deaths by ONS cause group, deaths occurring in England and Wales from 2002 to 2011 
			  2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 
			 Neonatal deaths 216 239 216 243 254 206 248 246 207 230 
			 Congenital anomalies 59 60 56 72 75 67 68 61 69 71 
			 Antepartum infections 20 27 17 31 28 31 41 32 21 21 
			 Immaturity related conditions 17 33 25 31 34 26 27 41 29 31 
			 Asphyxia, anoxia or trauma (intrapartnum) 30 26 30 29 31 33 36 35 31 38 
			 External conditions 10 6 9 10 8 7 5 2 5 8 
		
	
	
		
			 Infections 9 12 7 12 18 9 13 21 9 10 
			 Other specific conditions 4 4 5 5 6 ¦6 3 4 5 4 
			 Sudden infant deaths 30 28 37 30 27 12 26 30 17 23 
			 Other conditions 37 43 30 23 27 15 29 20 21 24 
			            
			 Postneonatal deaths 414 447 409 456 390 386 404 389 377 367 
			 Congenital anomalies 58 66 54 68 67 62 67 82 67 77 
			 Antepartnum infections 2 3 0 1 "3 1 4 4 3 3 
			 Immaturity related conditions 20 16 7 16 11 14 18 19 14 17 
			 Asphyxia, anoxia or trauma (intrapartnum) 1 0 6 4 3 2 2 4 4 5 
			 External conditions 49 49 42 48 36 39 45 26 25 37 
			 Infections 72 65 61 68 53 50 49 47 47 53 
			 Other specific conditions 7 11 11 7 6 6 13 3 5 4 
			 Sudden infant deaths 135 138 144 160 135 144 127 124 119 113 
			 Other conditions 70 99 84 84 76 68 79 80 93 58 
			 Note: Figures are based on deaths occurring in each calendar year. 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 3: Number of postneonatal deaths in England and Wales by broad cause group, deaths occurring from 2002 to 2011 
			   2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 
			 A00-B99 I Certain Infectious and parasitic diseases 24 22 28 22 21 17 23 20 21 28 
			 C00-D48 II Neoplasms 1 1 4 2 1 0 1 0 3 4 
			 D50-D89 III Diseases of the blood and blood-forming organs and certain disorders involving the immune mechanism 2 3 2 2 3 2 1 4 5 2 
			 E00-E90 IV Endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases 3 7 2 1 7 3 3 2 7 2 
			 G00-G99 VI Diseases of the nervous system 12 10 7 16 8 8 12 7 5 4 
			 H60-H95 VIII Diseases of the ear and mastoid process 2 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 
			 I00-I99 X Diseases of the circulatory system 15 11 13 19 16 14 21 17 18 13 
			 J00-J99 X Diseases of the respiratory system 38 46 37 37 35 32 29 29 28 29 
			 K00-K93 XI Diseases of the digestive system 8 14 6 9 3 6 10 5 7 2 
			 L00-L99 XII Diseases of the skin and subcutaneous tissue 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 
			 M00-M99 XIII Diseases of the musculoskeletal system and connective tissue 2 1 0 1 1 0 1 2 0 0 
			 N00-N99 XIV Diseases of the genitourinary system 1 0 1 3 2 1 0 1 3 0 
			 P00-P96 XVI Certain conditions originating in the perinatal period 16 22 12 24 12 7 23 19 16 19 
			 Q00-Q99 XVII Congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities 46 52 41 48 47 43 41 46 41 52 
			 R00-R99 XVIII Symptoms, signs and abnormal clinical and laboratory findings, not elsewhere classified 193 215 219 227 201 214 200 212 201 178 
			 U509, V01-Y89 XX External causes of morbidity and mortality 51 43 37 44 32 39 37 25 22 34 
			  All causes 414 447 409 456 390 386 404 389 377 367 
			 Note: Figures are for deaths occurring in each calendar year. Source: Office for National Statistics

Older Workers

David Simpson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many people aged over (a) 55 and (b) 60 years have been recruited to work in the Prime Minister's Office in 2011-12; and what proportion of such staff were new staff.

Francis Maude: The Prime Minister's Office is an integral part of the Cabinet Office. It is my Department's policy that all selection should be based on merit.
	In 2011-12, 293 staff were recruited to my Department. Five or fewer civil servants were aged over 55, and none over 60.
	In 2012-13, 340 staff were recruited to my Department. Seven civil servants were aged over 55, and five or fewer were aged over 60. Five or fewer of those aged over 55 and over 60 were new to the civil service.

Perinatal Mortality

Tim Loughton: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many children have been stillborn in each of the last 10 years.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Glen Watson, dated November 2013
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent question to the Secretary of State for Health asking how many children have been stillborn in each of the last ten years [173847].
	The table shows the number of stillbirths in England and Wales for 2003 to 2012.
	
		
			 Number of stillbirths 2003-12. England and Wales 
			  Stillbirths 
			 2012 3,558 
			 2011 3,811 
			 2010 3,714 
			 2009 3,688 
			 2008 3,617 
			 2007 3,598 
			 2006 3,602 
			 .2005 3,483 
			 2004 3,686 
			 2003 3,612 
			 Source: Office for National Statistics 
		
	
	For more information, stillbirth data are published annually on the ONS website at:
	http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/vsob1/characteristics-of-birth-1--england-and-wales/index.html

Poverty

Chris Ruane: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if the term poverty is still being used by his Department for the purpose of statistics; and when a decision to disuse this phrase was taken.

Nick Hurd: The Government uses a range of measures to quantify poverty, deprivation and social exclusion.

Public Appointments

Philip Davies: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office who was (a) invited to and (b) attended the Public Appointments Seminar on 28 October 2013; and what the total cost was of the whole event.

Francis Maude: The public appointments seminar scheduled for 28 October had to be postponed following last Monday's storm. It will be rescheduled in due course.

UK Membership of EU

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will make an assessment of the costs and benefits of a decision for the UK to leave the EU in his Department's area of responsibility; and if he will make a statement.

Francis Maude: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by the Minister for Europe, my right hon. Friend the Member for Aylesbury (Mr Lidington), to the hon. Member for Wolverhampton North East (Emma Reynolds) on 29 January 2013, Official Report, column 709W.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Attendance Allowance

Liz Kendall: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many recipients of attendance allowance have total income or assets under £123,000 (a) nationally and (b) by region.

Michael Penning: The information requested is not available. Attendance allowance is not a means tested benefit. We have obtained the following estimates from the Family Resource Survey.
	The survey data used to answer this question does not capture assets such as housing and vehicles; as such it has simply been answered where a family's income is below the specified threshold.
	
		
			 Table 1: Number of people in families with at least one member receiving attendance allowance and with less than £123,000 of gross family income, UK, 2011-12 
			  Number 
			 2011-12 1,200,000 
			 Notes: 1. These statistics are based on households below average income (HBAI) data sourced from the Family Resources Survey (FRS). 2. Gross incomes have been used to answer the question. This includes earnings from employment and self-employment, state support, income from occupational and private pensions, investment income and other sources. However, gross income does not take into account assets owned by the family. 3. All estimates are based on survey data and are therefore subject to a degree of uncertainty. Small differences, particularly at the bottom of the income distribution, should be treated with caution as these will be affected by sampling error and variability in non-response. 4. The reference period for HBAI figures is the financial year. 5. Population estimates are rounded to the nearest 100,000 individuals and percentages are rounded to the nearest 1%. Source: HBAI 2011-12 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2: Number of people in families with at least one member receiving attendance allowance and with less than £123,000 of gross family income, by region, 3 year average 2009-10 to 2011-12 
			 Government region Number 
			 North East (1)— 
			 North West and Merseyside 200,000 
			 Yorks and Humberside 100,000 
			 East Midlands 100,000 
			 West Midlands 100,000 
			 East of England 100,000 
			 London 100,000 
			 South East 100,000 
			 South West 100,000 
			 Wales 100,000 
		
	
	
		
			 Scotland 100,000 
			 Northern Ireland (2)— 
			 (1 )Data not available due to small sample sizes (less than 100). (2) Date not available due to estimate being less than 50,000. Notes: 1. These statistics are based on households below average income (HBAI) data sourced from the Family Resources Survey (FRS). 2. Gross incomes have been used to answer the question. This includes earnings from employment and self-employment, state support, income from occupational and private pensions, investment income and other sources. However, gross income does not take into account assets owned by the family. 3. All estimates are based on survey data and are therefore subject to a degree of uncertainty. Small differences, particularly at the bottom of the income distribution, should be treated with caution as these will be affected by sampling error and variability in non-response. 4. The reference period for HBAI figures is the financial year, 3 year average figures have been presented by region to overcome small sample size and volatility. 5. Population estimates are rounded to the nearest 100,000 individuals and percentages are rounded to the nearest 1%. Source: HBAI 2009-10 to 2011-12.

Employment and Support Allowance

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 24 October 2013, Official Report, column 261W 
	(1)  what proportion of the 4,109 employment and support allowance capability assessments subsequently went to appeal;
	(2)  what number and proportion of employment and support allowance decisions have been appealed in which the original assessment was (a) audio taped and (b) not audio taped;
	(3)  if he will place a copy of any leaflets or information pertaining to employment and support allowance claimants' right to ask for an audio tape of their work capability test in the Library;
	(4)  what assessment he has made of the use of audio-taping of employment and support allowance tests in reducing (a) the number of cases going to appeal and (b) the success rate of later appeals;
	(5)  in which month each request to audio tape a work capability assessment was made.

Michael Penning: The hon. Member for Vale of Clwyd (Chris Ruane) has asked five parliamentary questions relating to the audio recording of work capability assessments (WCAs) and I have taken the opportunity to reply to them collectively.
	In answer to question 173461, I am placing a copy of the WCA AL1C form in the Library. The WCA AL1C form is sent to claimants when they are asked to arrange a face-to-face assessment and provides details about how they can ask for their face-to-face assessment to be audio recorded.
	The AL1C form also provides a link to the gov.uk website where claimants can find more information on audio recording of face-to-face assessments, including some frequently asked questions. This website can be accessed here:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/policies/simplifying-the-welfare-system-and-making-sure-work-pays/supporting-pages/improving-the-work-capability-assessment
	In answer to question 173712, between September 2011 and September 2013 there have been 4,109 requests for an audio recorded face-to-face work capability assessment. We hold monthly data from January 2012 onwards and the following table shows the number of requests per month between January 2012 and September 2013.
	
		
			 2012 
			  Number 
			 January 31 
			 February 49 
			 March 84 
			 April 112 
			 May 119 
			 June 116 
			 July 189 
			 August 224 
			 September 235 
			 October 314 
			 November 256 
			 December 215 
		
	
	
		
			 2013 
			  Number 
			 January 271 
			 February 323 
			 March 275 
			 April 292 
			 May 263 
			 June 232 
			 July 188 
			 August 130 
			 September 153 
		
	
	Unfortunately we do not record whether or not the decision following an audio recorded face-to-face assessment has been appealed, therefore I am unable to provide the information requested in questions 173426,173460 and 173462.

Employment and Support Allowance: Brighton

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to the answer of 12 October 2011, Official Report, column 428W, on employment and support allowance: Brighton, if he will update tables 1 and 2 with figures for the latest period available.

Michael Penning: The information requested is as follows.
	
		
			 Table 1: New claims for employment and support allowance (ESA)—Outcome of initial functional assessments that were completed in Brighton and Hove UA: Fit for Work, October 2008 to February 2013 
			  Fit for work(1) Percentage of all new ESA claims(2) 
			 Brighton and Hove UA 3,500 27 
			 (1) Numbers have been rounded to the nearest hundred. Percentages are rounded to the nearest whole number. (2) Includes claims that are closed before assessment and those still in progress. Source: Data held by the Department for Work and Pensions, functional assessment data from Atos Healthcare. 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2: Completed appeals against Fit for Work (FFW) decisions for new ESA claims in Brighton and Hove UA: October 2008 to May 2012 
			  Appeals heard 
			  Total Decision in favour of appellant % decision in favour of appellant DWP decision upheld % DWP decision upheld 
			 Brighton and Hove UA 1,300 700 54 600 46 
			 Notes: 1. Figures are for initial assessments only and numbers have been rounded to the nearest hundred (as a result, summing of rows may not give the totals shown). Percentages are rounded to the nearest whole number. 2. Data on appeals includes ESA claims up to the end of May 2012 (the latest month where we have sufficient volumes of appeals heard to include in the publication) where the person claiming has been assessed to be fit for work, they subsequently appeal the Department's decision and the appeal has been heard by Tribunals Service. 3. Due to the time it takes for appeals to be submitted to the Tribunals Service and heard, it is likely that there are more appeals that have not yet been heard. Therefore these figures should be treated as emerging findings rather than final at this stage. 4. The figure of 54% decisions in favour of the appellant is comparable to the figure provided in the previous PQ of 56%. The total appellant success rate at July 2013 is 37% so Brighton and Hove LA is above that figure. The rates will vary across the country due to various different factors including the characteristics of the claimant populations concerned. Source: Data held by the Department for Work and Pensions, functional assessment data from Atos Healthcare and appeals data from the Tribunals Service.

Employment Schemes: Young People

Jeremy Lefroy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what research his Department has commissioned or undertaken into the effectiveness of youth employment programmes in other countries.

Esther McVey: No recent research has been commissioned. DWP regularly monitors international developments in youth unemployment, and plays an active role in sponsoring work by the OECD, ILO, EU and other international organisations. The cross country research from those organisations has contributed to the development of DWP policies, including the Youth Contract.
	The following are examples of reports containing international comparisons:
	OECD Employment Outlook 2013:
	http://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/employment/oecd-employment-outlook_19991266
	ILO Resolutions and conclusions from 101st session of ILO, 2012:
	http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---ed_norm/---relconf/documents/meetingdocument/wcms_185950.pdf

Employment Schemes: Young People

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when he intends to publish updated Youth Contract performance data; and at what frequency he plans to publish such data in future.

Esther McVey: Starts and referrals data for work experience and sector based work academies—which are both Youth Contract programmes—has been published every six months, with the most recent publication in August 2013. Decisions about future publications of Youth Contract statistics have not yet been taken, but will be pre-announced in line with official statistical protocols.

Housing Benefit

Roger Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what housing needs of tenants claiming housing benefit can be met by the discretionary housing payment scheme; and whether a local authority can change its allocation policy within a financial year.

Steve Webb: Housing costs which may be eligible for assistance via discretionary housing payment are comprised of rental liability, rent in advance, deposits and other lump sum costs associated with a housing need such as removal costs.
	Local authorities are able to amend their DHP allocation policy as required according to their assessment of local needs and in order to best reflect their particular circumstances and priorities. This may be within the financial year where appropriate.
	The Department provides comprehensive guidance to local authorities on administering DHP. A link to the guidance is included here:
	www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/184207/discretionary-housing-payments-guide.pdf

Housing Benefit: Scotland

Margaret Curran: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what payments have been made from the discretionary housing payment budget to each local authority in Scotland to date; what proportion of the overall discretionary housing payment budgets such payments to each local authority represent; and what level of such payments have been allocated to each local authority in 2013-14.

Steve Webb: In the following table, for each Scottish local authority the figure is stated for the total 2013-14 Government contribution towards discretionary housing payments, the value of payments which have been made to date and the percentage which this represents of the Government's total contribution for the year.
	
		
			 £ 
			 Local authority 2013-14 total Government contribution (£) Payments to date (£) Percentage 
			 Aberdeen 299,125 75,595 25 
			 Aberdeenshire 594,825 53,565 9 
			 Angus 413,506 43,600 11 
			 Argyll and Bute 370,656 50,867 14 
			 Clackmannanshire 178,323 54,029 30 
			 Comhairle nan Eilean Siar 107,388 33,274 31 
			 Dumfries and Galloway 658,354 77,423 12 
			 Dundee 337,506 112,502 33 
			 East Ayrshire 171,570 47,335 28 
			 East Dunbartonshire 107,919 35,973 33 
			 East Lothian 137,196 41,994 31 
			 East Renfrewshire 83,222 27,592 33 
			 Edinburgh 1,430,709 433,333 30 
			 Falkirk 179,720 59,906 33 
			 Fife 539,010 22,201 4 
		
	
	
		
			 Glasgow 2,392,818 797,606 33 
			 Highland 987,115 72,035 7 
			 Inverclyde 153,174 51,058 33 
			 Midlothian 159,483 50,151 31 
			 Moray 252,230 22,993 9 
			 North Ayrshire 309,823 103,274 33 
			 North Lanarkshire 469,660 124,892 27 
			 Orkney 64,359 8,918 14 
			 Perth and Kinross 523,618 49,725 9 
			 Renfrewshire 267,351 89,117 33 
			 Scottish Borders 450,553 56,823 13 
			 Shetland 72,457 7,407 10 
			 South Ayrshire 262,150 87,383 33 
			 South Lanarkshire 492,570 138,333 28 
			 Stirling 400,324 37,300 9 
			 West Dunbartonshire 347,472 108,489 31 
			 West Lothian 254,648 84,882 33 
		
	
	The Department's contribution towards DHP is paid in two tranches, the first in June and the second in November. To reduce the risk of overpayment, the first payment is one third of the lower of the Government contribution or the authority's estimate of its DHP expenditure. This is why some of the percentage figures in the above table are below a third.
	A local authority meets any expenditure from its own resources until the payments are made. However, should financial difficulties arise, the Department would consider any representations a local authority should wish to make.
	This year, in addition to the original Government contribution, local authorities are able to bid for funding from a £20 million reserve fund. The scheme is open to bids until 3 February 2014.

Housing Benefit: Social Rented Housing

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of people in Wales who will move house as a result of the social housing under-occupancy penalty.

Esther McVey: The Department is not able to reliably estimate the number of people in Wales who will move house as a result of the Removal of the Spare Room Subsidy due to the small sample sizes involved.
	We are currently undertaking a two year monitoring and evaluation exercise which commenced in April this year. Initial findings will be available in 2014 with a final report in late 2015. One of the elements of this evaluation will be to look at how people choose to respond to this measure.

Housing Benefit: Social Rented Housing

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his policy is on introducing a no-evictions policy for those affected by the social housing under-occupancy penalty.

Esther McVey: We have no plans to introduce a no-evictions policy.
	If the threat of eviction was removed, some tenants may have no incentive to address rent arrears, seek help with debt prevention or consider downsizing to a smaller home. In addition, it would be unfair on those impacted by the removal of the spare room subsidy who have paid the rent shortfall, if others who have not, were treated differently.

Housing Benefit: Social Rented Housing

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what future estimate he has made of demand for discretionary housing payment as a result of the under occupancy penalty; and if he will publish such figures showing demand in each (a) month and (b) constituency.

Esther McVey: The Department has made no estimate of future demand for discretionary housing payments as a result of the removal of the spare room subsidy.
	However the Department is collecting six-monthly returns detailing DHP awards in each local authority. This includes the number of awards granted, but not the number that have been refused. We are currently gathering this information and performing the necessary quality assurance checks.
	This year, in addition to the original Government contribution, local authorities are able to bid for funding from a £20 million discretionary housing payment reserve fund. The scheme is open to bids until 3 February 2014.

New Enterprise Allowance

Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people have received the New Enterprise Allowance in each parliamentary constituency in each month since its inception.

Esther McVey: Information on the total number of New Enterprise Allowance starts in each parliamentary constituency can be accessed via the following link:
	https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/230306/gbw-geo-breakdown-_aug-13.xls
	It is not possible to produce the numbers of mentor starts and weekly allowance starts by parliamentary constituency for each month as the numbers would be too small.

Personal Independence Payment

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions for what reasons the mobility distance criteria adopted for personal independence payments differs from the criteria for disability living allowance and blue badges.

Michael Penning: Personal independence payment (PIP) is intended to target support on those with the greatest need, create a more financially sustainable benefit, consider needs arising from all impairment types equally and determine awards more objectively and consistently. The assessment criteria for the Mobility component of PIP differs from criteria used for other purposes, including disability living allowance and blue badges, in order to ensure it meets this intent.
	The reasons for the selection of the distances used in determining entitlement to the enhanced rate of the PIP mobility component are included in The Government response to the consultation on the PIP assessment Moving around criteria, available on the gov.uk website at
	https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/consultation-on-the-pip-assessment-moving-around-activity

Poverty

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 23 October 2013, Official Report, columns 169-70W, on poverty, how many and what proportion of people were in relative low-income (a) before and (b) after housing costs in 2009-10.

Esther McVey: Estimates of the number and proportion of people living in poverty are published in the Households Below Average Income (HBAI) series. HBAI uses household income adjusted (or 'equivalised') for household size and composition, to provide a proxy for standard of living.
	The following table shows the number and proportion of people with income below 60% of contemporary median income Below Housing Costs (BHC) and After Housing Costs (AHC) in the UK, for 2009-10.
	
		
			 Table: Numbers and proportions of people in households with equivalised incomes below 60% of contemporary median income Before Housing Costs (BHC) and After Housing Costs (AHC) 
			 2009-10 Number BHC (million) Proportion BHC (percentage) Number AHC (million) Proportion AHC (percentage) 
			  10.3 17 13.5 22 
			 Notes: 1. These statistics are based on Households Below Average Income (HBAI) data sourced from the Family Resources Survey (FRS) available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/206778/full_hbai13.pdf This uses disposable household income, adjusted using modified OECD equalisation factors for household size and composition, as an income measure as a proxy for standard of living. 2. Net disposable incomes have been used to answer the question. This includes earnings from employment and self-employment, state support, income from occupational and private pensions, investment income and other sources. Income tax payments, national insurance contributions, council tax/domestic rates and some other payments are deducted from incomes. 3. Figures are for the United Kingdom. 4. Someone is considered to be in relative low-income if they live in a household whose income is below 60% of median income for all households. Median income is the income of the household in the middle of the income distribution. Household income is equivalised, which means that income is adjusted for the size and composition of the household; and household income is also deflated, which means that income is adjusted for changes in inflation. 5. In HBAI, a household is defined as a single person or group of people living at the same address as their only or main residence, who either share one meal together or share the living accommodation. This differs from a benefit unit (family), which is defined as a single adult or a married or cohabiting couple, plus any dependent children. From January 2006 same-sex partners (civil partners and cohabitees) are also included in the same benefit unit. A household will consist of one or more benefit units. 6. BHC refers to income before housing costs have been deducted; while AHC refers to income after housing costs have been deducted. Housing costs include; rent (gross of housing benefit); water rates, community water charges and council water charges; mortgage interest payments; structural insurance premiums (for owner occupiers); ground rent and service charges. 7. Figures have been rounded to the nearest 1% and to the nearest 100,000 people. Estimates based on survey data are subject to uncertainty; and are subject to sampling error. Figures may not sum due to rounding error.

Social Security Benefits: Young People

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people claiming (a) jobseekers allowance, (b) employment and support allowance, (c) income support and (d) incapacity benefit and severe disablement allowance are aged (i) 16, (ii) 17, (iii) 18, (iv) 19, (v) 20, (vi) 21, (vii) 22, (viii) 23 and (ix) 24 years old in the latest period for which figures are available.

Esther McVey: The information is shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Number of jobseeker's allowance, employment support allowance, incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance and income support benefit claimants by age: February 2013 
			 Age (years) Jobseeker's allowance Employment support allowance Incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance Income support 
			 16 430 880 — 2,680 
			 17 2,070 3,150 — 9,660 
			 18 45,710 9,730 — 17,290 
			 19 65,290 16,020 — 21,190 
			 20 67,280 22,060 510 26,340 
			 21 63,220 23,300 1,410 30,040 
			 22 60,940 23,380 2,680 33,330 
			 23 54,490 22,330 4,550 34,420 
			 24 50,030 22,010 6,410 34,950 
			 Total aged under 25 409,460 142,860 15,570 209,890 
			 '—' Denotes nil or negligible. Notes: 1. Data is rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Figures exclude those with an unknown age recorded. 3. Data is for GB and abroad. 4. Although there is data available for JSA from NOMIS, as at September 2013, this does not split the 18-24 age group into individual ages. Source: DWP Information, Governance and Security Directorate 100% WPLS.

Third Sector

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will list financial assistance to charitable, benevolent or philanthropic institutions made by his Department in 2012-13, pursuant to Section 70 (9) of the Charities Act 2006.

Michael Penning: The Department for Work and Pensions has not published any reports pursuant to Section 70(9) of the Charities Act. In addition, the Department has not identified any transactions entered into during 2012-13 that would satisfy the requirements for reporting pursuant to Section 70 (9) of the Charities Act.

Unemployed People: Training

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the current facilities available to people over the age of 40 who are out of work to re-train for a new job.

Esther McVey: The Department has not made any specific assessments of the adequacy of the training available to people over the age of 40 who are out of work to re-train for a new job.
	The Department, working closely with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, offers a range of training programmes and advice to assist those who are out of work to gain employment. This includes basic skills and vocational training, sector-based work academies, the Work programme and careers advice from the National Careers Service.
	The Department monitors the take-up of training initiatives by benefit claimants and carries out evaluations of key initiatives to assess their effectiveness as far as possible.

Universal Credit

Ian Lavery: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether individual claims to universal credit resulting from the rollout proposals announced on 10 July 2013 will be subject to the same restrictions as those made in the universal credit pathfinder.

Esther McVey: Eligibility for universal credit will be the same as in the other Pathfinder areas. Newly unemployed people who would formerly have made a straightforward claim for JSA and who meet certain additional criteria will be directed to claim universal credit. All other claimants will continue to be directed to the relevant previous benefit.

Universal Credit

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in which regions of the UK universal credit is currently available.

Esther McVey: Universal credit was introduced in the pathfinder areas of Greater Manchester and Cheshire from April 2013, delivered through four local Jobcentres in: Ashton-under-Lyne, Oldham, Warrington and Wigan.
	Universal credit is being progressively rolled out on a phased timeline to further areas, starting with Hammersmith jobcentre on 28 October and will expand to Rugby, Inverness, Harrogate, Bath and Shotton by the spring.
	We are also introducing the claimant commitment in 100 jobcentres a month until it's fully in place nationally in the spring along with 6,000 new computers in jobcentres across the country for claimants to look and apply for jobs online, replacing the dated job points.

Universal Credit

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much his Department has spent publicising the move to universal credit in the regions where it is available.

Esther McVey: We have not conducted any paid-for advertising in the local areas but have used other value for money ways to ensure potential universal credit claimants are informed and prepared. This includes free media, leaflets, and working with local partners to provide accurate information directly to potential claimants. Our approach is proportionate and carefully targeted, reflecting the safe and responsible way that universal credit is being progressively rolled-out.

Universal Credit

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many children live in households currently in receipt of universal credit.

Esther McVey: The Pathfinder eligibility criteria for universal credit is that the claimant must be single, with no dependent children.
	DWP officials are currently quality assuring data for universal credit and aim to release an initial set of official statistics on universal credit claimants before the end of 2013.

Work Programme

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he collects information on (a) whether jobs taken up by people who enter under the work programme are part-time or full-time, (b) whether such jobs involve a zero hours contract and (c) other characteristics of those jobs.

Esther McVey: Information on how many participants have found part-time and full-time employment through the Work programme is not available. Official Work programme statistics count sustained job outcomes only, i.e. when participants have been in work for 13 or 26 weeks.
	The Department does not hold information on the number of participants on the Work programme who have been placed on zero-hour contracts. Historically it has not been departmental practice to hold information relating to the details of individual's contracts.

EDUCATION

Academies

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what his policy is on academies awarding contracts to businesses controlled by or belonging to their trustees.

Edward Timpson: All academy trusts are required to openly procure any externally sourced services, including those related to their trustees. When a business controlled by or belonging to a trustee bids for a contract the academy trust must consider if that service is the most appropriate for the academy and offers the best value for money. If the academy trust decides to award the contract to the trustee-related service, that business must deliver its services at cost, with no element of profit.

Bookstart Scheme

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to the answer of 22 October 2013, Official Report, columns 112-4W, on Bookstart scheme, what the reasons were for the reduction in Bookstart funding in 2011-12.

Elizabeth Truss: Since May 2010 we have examined contracts, grants and programmes very carefully to ensure that we are getting the best value. This included working with Booktrust to find funding efficiencies within the book gifting programme. In 2011-12 a grant of £7.5 million was awarded to Booktrust. This ongoing funding allowed Booktrust to deliver their programme, including universal provision and targeted elements for the most disadvantaged. This targeted approach meant that Booktrust could focus provisions where there is the most urgent need to tackle the impact that disadvantage can have on literacy.

Free School Meals

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many children currently receive free school meals because their parent receives universal credit.

David Laws: Universal credit has gone live in the pathfinder areas within Greater Manchester and Cheshire, which are Ashton under Lyne, Wigan, Oldham and Warrington. Those eligible to begin claiming universal credit in these areas do not include households with children. It is possible that some children will join households as a result of a change to a claimant's circumstances. If so they will be entitled to free school meals.

Free Schools

George Galloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what criteria are used for ratifying the appointment of governors of free schools.

Edward Timpson: Free schools, like all academies, are run by academy trusts, which are independent charitable companies. The criteria for appointing governors are set out by the trust's Articles of Association and in the Companies Act 2006. The trust is wholly responsible for the appointment process, including any formal ratification of appointments required by its Articles or the Companies Act.

Free Schools: Bedfordshire

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  when he will publish his Department's findings from its investigation into the Barnfied Federation;
	(2)  when Ministers in his Department were made aware of the allegations concerning the Barnfield Federation which triggered his Department's investigation;
	(3)  what the nature is of the allegations relating to the Barnfield Federation which are subject to an investigation by his Department.

Edward Timpson: The allegations were made to the Skills Funding Agency, who notified the Department for Education on 4 September 2013.
	The allegations relate to governance and financial matters. The Government cannot, however, give further details of ongoing investigations.
	The Academies Financial Handbook states that the Education Funding Agency will publish investigation reports,-but there is no set timeframe for their publication. Publication of the Barnfield investigation report will depend on the progress of the investigation and the nature of the issues raised.

Kings Science Academy

George Galloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  for what reason the redacted report into the financial irregularities at Kings Science Academy was published five months after it was completed;
	(2)  if he will publish an unredacted report of his Department's inquiry into Kings Science Academy in Bradford.

Edward Timpson: In the past these reports were not published by central Government and there has been no consistent practice by local authorities for similar reports relating to maintained schools. We rewrote the Academies Financial Handbook to provide a much sharper and clearer financial accountability system. It states that the Education Funding Agency (EFA) will publish reports into investigations. There is no set timeframe for the publication of reports. In this case, the EFA was awaiting the outcome of the police enquiries and any disciplinary process before publishing the report.
	The Department has no plans to publish an unredacted report. The redactions were made in accordance with EFA's responsibilities under the Data Protection Act 1998 and have been made to protect commercially sensitive information.

Kings Science Academy

Kevin Brennan: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the reasons are for the delay between the completion of the Education Funding Agency's report on Kings Science School, Bradford and its publication by his Department.

Edward Timpson: In the past these reports were not published by central Government and there has been no consistent practice by local authorities for similar reports relating to maintained schools. We re-wrote the Academies Financial Handbook to provide a much sharper and clearer financial accountability system. It states that the Education Funding Agency (EFA) will publish reports into investigations it undertakes. There is no set timeframe for the publication of reports. In this case, the EFA was awaiting the outcome of the police inquiries and any disciplinary process before publishing the redacted report.

Literacy: Essex

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what education schemes his Department has funded to promote literacy skills for (a) children and (b) adults with severe learning or physical disability in Chelmsford and Essex.

Edward Timpson: The Department for Education has funded a number of programmes to promote literacy for children and young people with a learning difficulty or disability. Grant funding was provided to the Dyslexia Specific Learning Difficulties (SpLD) Trust in 2011-13 to provide advice and information to schools, parents and young people on dyslexia and literacy. In 2013-15 the trust is also funded through a contract to support the Government's special educational needs (SEN) reforms for children and young people with dyslexia and literacy difficulties, and to provide information on training and effective approaches to identifying and supporting dyslexic pupils.
	Funding was provided to Dyslexia Action and the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) in 2011-13 to develop the ‘load2learn’ programme which has made more than 2,000 core texts available in flexible digital format to pupils across the country. Funding was also provided to the National Deaf Children's Society in 2011-13 to support their work in making schools more deaf-friendly, including guidance on teaching phonics to children with a hearing impairment.
	From September 2011 to October 2013 the Department has provided match-funding to all state-funded primary schools in England with key stage 1 pupils so that they can purchase effective systematic synthetic phonics products and training to support their teaching of early reading. From January 2013 the Department is also providing a literacy and numeracy catch-up premium to secondary schools, including special schools, for year 7 pupils who have not achieved level 4 at key stage 2 in reading and/or mathematics.
	Each of these programmes has offered support to schools across the country. It is up to individual schools to decide how to use their resources to support their teaching because schools are best placed to recognise the learning needs of their pupils, and to decide what support each child requires.
	In addition, the Government is fully funding basic English and mathematics courses for adults, including those with learning difficulties and/or disabilities, who lack those skills. Further education provision is funded through the Adult Skills Budget and eligible providers will be able to access this funding to meet the needs of local learners.
	We also provide Learning Support funding to colleges and providers to help them meet the costs of reasonable adjustments as set out in the Equality Act 2010. Learning Support is available to meet the additional needs of learners with learning difficulties and/or disabilities so that they can participate fully in education and training and have the support required to achieve basic English and mathematics qualifications.

Ministerial Policy Advisers

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many officials at what grades are employed to provide direct support to special advisers in his Department.

Elizabeth Truss: There are three members of staff who provide direct support to special advisers—the same number as in April 2010 under the previous Government. They also provide direct support to senior civil servants in the ministerial private offices.
	The three members of staff are comprised of one HEO grade and two EO grade officials.

Schools: Sports

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education pursuant to the answer of 2 July 2013, Official Report, column 600W on schools: sports, what guidance his Department issues to schools on what the appropriate weekly time allocation for PE at all four stages is.

Edward Timpson: The Department for Education does not prescribe or offer guidance on how much time schools should allocate for PE. Head teachers are best placed to decide how to meet the needs of their pupils in all curriculum subjects, including PE.

Schools: Sports

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will direct Ofsted to include a statement on the adequacy of PE provision in all Ofsted reports.

Edward Timpson: The Government is committed to improving the quality of PE in all schools and we are working with Ofsted to support this aim. The details of school inspection arrangements are a matter for Ofsted themselves but from September 2013, and in support of the additional funding provided by the Government to improve PE and sport, Ofsted inspectors have been taking account of PE and sport provision in all inspections of primary schools.

Schools: Standards

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Education which five schools were ranked highest in terms of pupils receiving special consideration marks for problems such as temporary illness in the most recent period for which figures are available.

Elizabeth Truss: Ofqual, the exams regulator, regulates awarding organisations to ensure compliance against the General Conditions of Recognition, which includes arrangements for special consideration, and monitors the overall impact of special considerations nationally. However, neither Ofqual nor the Department for Education hold data on special consideration at school or college level.

Work Experience

Nicholas Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether (a) he and (b) Ministers in his Department have asked the (i) Confederation of British Industry, (ii) Institute of Directors, (iii) Federation of Small Businesses and (iv) British Chambers of Commerce to encourage their members to offer work experience placements as part of 16-19 study programmes.

Matthew Hancock: Expanding post-16 work experience is a key component of 16-19 study programmes now offered in schools and colleges.
	The Minister of State for Employment; the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, the right hon. Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable); Minister for Business and Enterprise, Minister for Government Policy and I wrote to employers in May 2013 encouraging them to offer more work experience placements and setting out the steps taken to simplify the process for doing so.
	The Confederation of British Industry (CBI), the Institute of Directors (IOD), the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) and the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) have been asked directly to encourage their members to offer more placements.
	The CBI has hosted seminars nationally to encourage employers to offer work experience. The CBI, BCC and IOD worked with the Department for Education to deregulate work experience and disseminate the results to their members and the FSB helped the Department produce a one page information leaflet on work experience for its members.